


ActiveX

by Demona3870



Category: ReBoot (TV)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-17
Updated: 2013-07-24
Packaged: 2017-11-14 10:32:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 22,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/514300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Demona3870/pseuds/Demona3870
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Immediately following the explosion of the Twin City, Dot finds herself at the center of the media frenzy from her father's failed experiment. Struggling with her sudden fame, she looks to a new friend for companionship. WARNING: Adult content in later chapters. Recommend reading Author's Notes before continuing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Friendly Face in the Crowd

**Author's Note:**

> This story contains detailed but not explicit sex between two consenting adults.

Chapter 1: A Friendly Face in the Crowd

What are you doing here? Go home.

No, I need this.

This is not where you should be right now.

I’m safe, it’s a busy establishment.

What would Phong think of you out here?

He won’t be thinking anything, he’s with Enzo.

What would your father think?

He doesn’t think… anymore.

The argument ceased. Dot stared at her reflection, the pain of that last thought visible in her eyes. But that was the reason she was here, standing outside of the Applet Café, a popular and upscale restaurant located in the heart of Beverly Hills: to cope with the loss of her father.

Unconsciously she rubbed her right arm where she had landed on it after the explosion of the Twin City sent an aftershock that damaged buildings and injured sprites in Mainframe. Luckily, Enzo hadn’t been hurt… not physically, anyway. He didn’t fully understand…

The eighteen-hour-hold sprite sighed, her head dropping as the past cycle flashed through her mind. The explosion. The ambulances searched for survivors. The enforcers showed up. 

No, Guardians. That’s what they called themselves, sprites from some place called a SuperComputer. Four of them had arrived through silver spheres, armed with gadgets that could repair system tears with a flash of light. They were the first visitors to Mainframe and the Twin City… or what was left of it.

But they weren’t the last. 

Within microseconds, more of those spheres appeared, and sprites and binomes alike came through. First medical units, then constructions teams to help repair damaged buildings in Mainframe. Lastly was the feeding frenzy of media attention: reporters. 

And she was the wounded animal hounded for the kill.

They swamped the Principal Office to get pictures of the children of the sprite who had annihilated a city. Dot and Enzo couldn’t get into the shelter of Phong’s office fast enough, and for countless nanos her world was filled with flashing cameras and screaming questions accompanied by large fuzzy microphones stuffed in her face. Enzo cringed in her arms, crying for her to make them go away. 

He refused to leave her side that night. As if it wasn’t enough the sudden loss of their father, they were sought after by hundreds of visitors looking to make bank on the sad story of the now orphaned children. Enzo didn’t know what to do when people started screaming at him, and he couldn’t understand where Welman Matrix had gone and why he wasn’t coming back. 

Dot’s eyes stung with the threat of tears, her heart sending out a silent plea that somewhere, somehow, her father was still alive. No bodies had been found, after all… maybe he was just somewhere else, magically teleported to another system… now that she knew they existed…

But right now, he wasn’t in Mainframe, and life had to carry on. That was something Dot knew she could handle: business first. Always having a knack for building structure and staying ahead of the game, she threw herself into handling funeral arrangements, repair of her Diner, and diffusing the media attention the massive explosion brought. While she’d always felt comfortable speaking in front of others, Dot quickly learned how to handle rowdy crowds and divert negative attention from herself and others, such as her father. While she could no more explain what happened than the next sprite, she knew enough about the Gateway Command to rationally explain and justify that the accident was an unintentional event intended only to prove the theory of the existence of other systems. 

Within seconds, Dot had become a spokesperson for Mainframe, and a symbol of hope, fortitude, and the Mainframer’s motto that, “we stick together.” The media came to love her, the Mainframer’s adored her, and soon people stopped blaming her for the destruction of the Twin City based on association to Dr. Welman Matrix. Dot Matrix had become a survivor, and for many, a role model. 

But late at night, with Enzo tucked away in the makeshift bed at the Principal Office and Phong having retired to his own room for the evening, Dot sat on Phong’s couch and cried quietly. She missed her father so much, and despite all of the adoring attention she received, she’d never felt so alone. Sure, she was tough on the outside, in front of the cameras and the citizens of Mainframe; at night, she couldn’t escape the fact that she was still barely an adult, now with a child to raise, and everyone looking to her for the support to carry on. 

In the nanos before she fell asleep, she silently begged the User for someone to support her to carry on.

And that brought her here.

Dot looked up again. In the window of the dark store next to the Applet Café, she gazed at her reflection. Green and rainbow hair stylishly done, purple dress clinging to her body in all the right places, different colored stockings advertising her rebellious side, tattoo visible on her thigh… she looked good. Even the slight red in her eyes only enhanced the violet shade, but the tears were already fading. 

Fading because she was meeting someone who wanted to support her. 

Despite her melancholy musings, she smiled as a small thrill went through her stomach. He had shown up after the explosion, and he had acted different towards her than all the rest. He was polite, soft spoken… and very handsome. Unlike the others, he treated her with respect for the loss of her father, and didn’t push her for information or to talk about her feelings because ‘it would help.’ He just let her be herself… and that was exactly what she needed in her life again.

So when she learned he was leaving Mainframe to head back to the SuperComputer (where ever that was) she asked him to dinner. She figured she could provide full wattage to light every sector in Mainframe with her smile when he said yes. He suggested the Applet, and she suggested 1900. 

Now, at 1855, she fidgeted nervously in the window, her hands smoothing out her dress and adjusting her hair as she debated on whether or not she should go through with it. She was nervous… but with a guy like him, who wouldn’t be? And yet, that overly intelligent side of her kept arguing that she was going for the wrong reasons...

But Dot was never wrong. In the window, her eyes laughed at her as she smirked. No, she was in complete control. She needed this, she needed him, and everything would be fine. Taking a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and moved towards the front door of the restaurant, confidence exhibited in spades from her small and attractive frame. 

It didn’t take long for her to find her date, tucked away in a quiet booth in the back, a menu in his hand and two drinks on the table. She slowly made her way over to him, taking time to observe his hair neatly combed back, his clothes clean and pressed, his face casually set in mild interest as he scanned the dinner selection. As if feeling her eyes on him, he turned and caught her gaze, smiling widely as he stood to greet her.

“Hello, Dot.”

She smiled back. “Hello, Don.” 

He beckoned her inside the booth, and she quickly moved in, her breath catching as she brushed arms with the young, aspiring reporter. Not much older than she, he was on his first assignment outside of the SuperComputer where he was finishing up school to become a reporter abroad. Being unused to the rather aggressive nature of seasoned reporters, he actually managed to snag more face time with the sprite of the cycle simply by being backwards and shy. 

Dot smiled as she thought about the conversations they shared over the past few cycles, about how they seemed to have more in common than they realized… and her nerves eased as they quickly navigated through the dinner with comfortable conversation and warm companionship. Encouraged by their growing closeness, she took his hand at one point, and neither seemed inclined to let go. The simple touch, gentle but firm, brought such comfort to Dot that for the first time since the explosion, she felt safe again.

/

Four milliseconds later, Dot finished washing her hands and adjusted her hair in the restroom mirror. Her smile was so bright it almost hurt to look at it. She had never felt as happy as she did right then. With a scoff she shook her head at herself. Here she was, smiling like an idiot over a boy. Who would have thought?

Not her father.

Her smile faltered. Despite the enjoyment of the evening, she still couldn’t stop the stab of pain in her heart. 

“No more of this,” she whispered. She smiled again, this time without the twinge of pain, and walked back out to their table. Don was just paying the bill as she sat back down. 

“Thank you,” she said.

He grinned at her and put away his wallet. “It was worth it.” He reached across the table and took her hand. “Even if I can’t eat for another cycle.”

Dot’s face paled with shock. “What?!” He laughed, causing her cheeks to turn pink.

“I’m teasing, Dot.”

“I knew that.” She blushed harder as he laughed again… or as his hand tightened around hers. The slight pressure caused a thrill to run through her, spreading the warmth from her cheeks down to her toes. He rubbed the back of her knuckles and her mouth went dry.

“As much as I hate to bring this night to a close, I think it’s time I take you home.” He reached for his drink. “Why don’t you finish your glass and we’ll go?”

Moments later, Dot was leaning against Don as they walked down the quiet street. A slight breeze blew back her hair and she shivered. Don wrapped his arm around her, holding her close. The young Matrix felt another surge of heat where his hand touched her shoulder.

They stopped at an intersection. “Which way from here?”

Dot paused and looked around. In the distance, she could see her apartment complex, but she hadn’t been there since the explosion, preferring to stay in the confines of the Principal Office. But that was a long walk from here, and much farther away from Don’s hotel room. 

“Why don’t I walk you to your room and then I’ll head back to the Principal Office?”

“Absolutely not. I’m not letting you walk these streets by yourself after dark.”

“But it’ll be a long walk back for you. Your hotel is right down the block.” She stepped away and raised herself up to her full height. “Besides, I’m a big girl; I can take care of myself.”

Don backed up in mock defeat. “Oh, I know, I’ve seen how you’ve handled the media.” He chuckled. “Ok, how about a compromise. You walk me back to my room, keep me safe from the random sprites of Mainframe, and I’ll pay for your cab ride back to the PO.”

“I can pay for the cab.”

“Not under my watch.”

Dot raised any eyebrow at him, crossing her arms in defiance. He mocked her pose, looking adorably silly, and another breeze made her sigh in defeat. She walked back into his embrace to ward off the chill and agreed. “All right, proposal accepted.”

“Good.” 

/

Inside the nicely decorated room, Dot walked over to the heater and put her hands out. “I can’t believe my fingers feel like ice cubes!”

“I can’t believe you wanted to walk back to the PO when it’s this cold at night! I thought Mainframe had perfect weather all the time! That’s bad advertising!”

“We do have seasons here, ya know.”

“We don’t, in the Supercomputer. Unless you request it.” He chuckled at Dot’s confused stare. “Climate control, it’s a beautiful thing.”

“You sprites and your crazy advanced technology.”

“You wouldn’t say that if you came out to visit. I think you’d like the Supercomputer.” As the heat finally warmed the room, Don flopped down on the bed, stretching out with a loud sigh. “You’d do well there, if you wanted to open your own business.”

Dot sat on the bed, pulling her legs up crisscrossed under her. “I don’t know, it sounds like there’s a lot of competition out there, what with all those systems connected and such.”

Don rolled onto his side, looking at her with that smile that made her want to melt. “Is that a hint of fear I hear in your voice?”

“No!”

“Admit it; small system girl is afraid of the big city.”

Dot crossed her arms with a huff. “You’re a dipswitch.”

“And you are beautiful when you’re angry.”

Her eyes darted away from his, her mouth struggling not to smile. “I don’t believe you.” She squeaked when he grabbed hr arm and pulled her down next to him. Suddenly, his face was only centimeters from hers. Her heart began pounding in her chest.

“Ms. Matrix, are you calling me a liar?”

Her eyes stared at his lips as he spoke, her tongue darting out to wet her own before she even tried to focus on his words. “Yes.”

“Ok.” He moved closer, his lips barely touching hers. “Then here’s another lie. I don’t want to kiss you right now.” He searched her eyes. “What do you have to say to that?”

Dot’s breath caught, her fingers suddenly itching to touch his skin. “I hope you lied about calling that cab.”

His face grew serious. Carefully, his hand lifted to her face, his thumb running down her cheek. He watched her, looking for something. 

“Don.”

He closed the gap between them, pressing his soft lips gently to hers. Dot’s eyes fell closed, the soft pressure creating a tingle in her stomach. Slowly, the kiss grew harder and Don’s body was suddenly over hers.

The sensations trailing up and down her body were completely new to her. She’d been kissed before, but she’d never felt a reaction like this. The only word she could think of was longing, and it was almost painful to her. His kisses burned fire into her lips, his weight crushed her into the mattress, his hands reached for her dress.

Nausea.

It hit her so hard she pulled away with a gasp. He mistook it for a sound of pleasure and began sucking on her neck. “Don, wait.” She put her hands on his shoulders, pressing up. “Don, wait, I- Don, I don’t think I’m ready for this.”

His head lifted and he looked down at her. After a moment, he carefully leaned down and kissed her again, gently. His tongue swept across her lips and slowly tasted her, the caress relaxing Dot’s stiff form.

The fire was building in her again, and she could feel herself curl into his kiss, looking for more. Then his hands moved down her body, over her hips, up her skirt…

He landed on backside with a grunt. Dot sat up on the bed, panting and looking surprised at her own strength. 

“I- I’m sorry,” she stumbled. “I can’t… this isn’t me.” She jumped to her feet, the sharp movement making her slightly dizzy, and headed for the door. “I’m sorry, Don.” 

The door was opened a few meters when it was slammed shut. Dot spun and was suddenly pinned against the door, Don’s hands forcing hers against over her head. 

“It’s not safe out there, and I didn’t call you a cab. You should stay here.”

“No, st-.” She was cut off by his lips possessing hers, ruthlessly taking from her something she didn’t want to give. Desperately she kicked out, hitting him high up the leg, pushing him back enough for her to get another solid kick to his stomach. His grip loosened on her wrists and she shoved him away as hard as she could; watching him flip back over the bed before she turned and ran into the night.

The pounding of her feet echoed in her ears, soon to be overcome by the second set of heavy footfalls, rapidly gaining on her own. 

Her voice rang out into the frigid air, desperation nearly making her shriek. “Help me! Somebody, please!”

Dot’s fear, now fueled by panic, turned into full blown terror when she misdirected and sprinted into a dead end alleyway. 

She spun, panting, as Don stopped behind her. Eyes cold, he backed her trembling form against the wall. Her scream was silenced by his hand, rough and crushing around her jaw.


	2. Finding Myself

Despite his body shivering in the cold, he continued one last look around the sector. The SuperComputer always had a controlled climate at the Academy, a comfortable 72 degrees hour round. The biting night air of Mainframe was a unique change, and though slightly uncomfortable at first, it was refreshing. He found the room too stuffy now, too much like the Supercomputer, and he wanted to enjoy the simple charms of Mainframe before he returned home.

Bob sighed. While he loved being in the SuperComputer, he found the small system more like his own hometown, and he suddenly didn’t want to leave. But, duty called, and now that the investigation into the Twin City explosion was complete, there was no reason for them to stay.

The young cadet winced. Glitch whirred softly on his arm. “I know, I know,” Bob replied. Despite his new keytool’s insistence, Bob still couldn’t let go of the guilt that he may have been responsible for the Twin City explosion. All of the Guardians told him, on more than one occasion, that it was a freak accident that could not have been avoided… but Bob wasn’t convinced. After all, if he hadn’t been arguing with Dixon about deletion, Kilobyte may never have escaped.

Glitch whirred again, sounding more agitated this time. Bob groaned back. “All right, I’ll stop thinking about it!” But Dixon crossed his mind, and his fists tightened as he thought about her death.

Something else he blamed himself for… though he hadn’t told anyone that. The pain was still too fresh.

So he zipped around Mainframe for microseconds on end, watching the activities of the little binomes and the reporters as they tried to squeeze every last drop out of the story of the explosion. His new partner, Linux, didn’t argue, encouraging the cadet to get out and enjoy the freedom before he returned to his studies. 

The slightly older Guardian was considered a junior to most, but he’d lost three partners in a matter of minutes when a vicious virus was loose in a system linked to six others. All were close friends of his, and all died saving others. Though his hardened exterior seemed unbreakable, he was more empathetic to Bob than any other Guardian. Linux understood without having to ask, and Bob was grateful.

Bob looked up at the night sky, enjoying the way his breath disappeared beneath the programmed stars. In the SuperComputer, the hundreds of systems always kept the sky brightly lit, so stars were never visible. Another small win for the little system. 

He hoped that one day, when he was a full Guardian, he could be selected for a system such as this. How nice that would be-

“Help me! Somebody, please!”

The peaceful quiet of the late evening was broken by a scream directly below him. Bob looked down to see two sprites running, no, sprinting down the empty street. The tall one pinned the small one in a dead end alley, and Bob didn’t need his keytool to tell him where this was going. He sped down, his voice sharp as he shouted, “Hey!” The male jerked up, startled by the third party. “Let her go.”

The sprite looked Bob up and down and scoffed. “Beat it, Boy, before I beat you, too.”

Bob hopped down from his zipboard and stepped forward. “I said, let her go,” he commanded. 

“Ok.” Bob was surprised by the ease with which he complied. The sprite dropped the female to the ground, her cry of surprise distracting Bob. The blow hit him in the stomach before he could react. He stumbled back, barely maintaining his balance. 

“Glitch-!” The rest of the command was lost in the punch across his face, sending the cadet sprawling. He rolled with it and came to rest on his knees, breathing heavily while his chin felt like it was in three pieces. 

“Come on, boy,” he taunted, his fists up and circling in preparation. 

Bob narrowed his eyes, his body tensing. He could use Glitch, tie him up from a lamp post or nail his clothing into the wall… but there had been a time when Bob didn’t have a keytool to aid in his fights. 

He lunged forward, his legs launching him fast and low, his body ducking under the right hook as he swung up with his own solid punch, knocking the male sprite back a few steps. A jab to his stomach, another to his side, and a hook across his chin almost knocked the sprite out. 

Bob didn’t expect the vice like grip on his shoulders and he was suddenly spinning, his smaller frame tossed across the short alleyway into the brick wall. Bob saw stars before the fist flew at his face. He ducked, and it cracked against the brick.

The sprite howled as his hand broke, and Bob tackled him. They hit the street hard, the wind being knocked out of the sprite as dust swirled around them. Bob pulled back and hit a solid punch across the assailant’s jaw, knocking him dizzy and leaving him still on the street.

The cadet stood, a sudden coughing fit making it difficult to focus on the dazed sprite. He stumbled back against the wall, fighting for his breath. “Glitch, fan!” A sharp breeze entered the alley, pushing the cloud of dust and small debris from their rumble out into the open street. By the time the air and his coughing spasm cleared, the male sprite was gone. 

‘Damn.’ Bob turned his attention to the young woman, her knees pulled up to her chest as she sat on the cold cement, her body shivering from the temperature or shock, or both. Bob moved over to her, kneeling and speaking softly. “It’s ok, you’re safe now. Are you hurt?”

He heard her mumbled response, a weak, “I’m fine.”

“Can you stand?” In the dim light from the street, he could make out a shaky nod. Helping her up, he tossed his zipboard out from his belt. “I’m going to take you back to the Principal Office. I’ll help you with security to report this-.”

“No!” 

She pulled back from him, nearly falling back onto the cement. Bob held her arms, balancing her while trying to calm her down.

“No, I just want to go home.” Even though it was dark, she refused to look up at him. “Please?”

Bob hesitated, preferring to report the incident as soon as possible and put out an alert of a predator on the streets. But maybe after she had a chance to regain her composure, she would be more willing to speak to someone. “Ok.” He stepped on the board and held his hand out to her. “It’s ok, I won’t let you fall,” he reassured her when she didn’t move. 

After a moment, she seemed to regain awareness of herself and took his hand, evening the balance on the board so they didn’t topple. She wrapped one arm around his waist and he placed an arm around her shoulder. He took them up over the alley. 

“I’m Bob, by the way.”

“Dot.”

Bob smiled. “Hello, Dot. Where to?”

She took a breath and pointed. “Over there. It’s not far.” 

/

 

The trip was quiet and quick, but Dot barely noticed. She couldn’t believe what had almost happened, couldn’t believe she had put herself into the situation. ‘Stupid!’ She shivered as the memory of his hands on her skin made her cringe. 

Bob rubbed her arm and her breath caught. He thought her cold… but it wasn’t the night air that chilled her. And yet, as she pressed into him while they banked to the left to descend down to the apartment complex, she realized the frigid air did not bother her at all, because his body kept hers warm. 

Dot mentally shook herself. ‘Stop being such a girl.’ Here she was, nearly a victim of rape, and she was thinking about her body pressed against the man who saved her…

“Which floor?”

Dot looked up and realized they were hovering outside of the 8 Ball apartments, the glass geometrical shapes reflecting the lights from Baudway as it bounced up and down. “Top floor.”

Bob took them up to her garage door where she stepped off the board and walked through the door. She turned and invited him in. He closed the board and followed, blinking several times as she turned on the lights. When his vision cleared, he stared at the purple and green buggy parked in the garage. 

Then his eyes turned to her, wide with surprise. She realized her face mirrored his own as she finally looked at her savior clearly. It was the sprite in the blue suit, the Guardian, the one she blamed for the explosion…

Dot felt her face go red as she remembered punching at him, sobbing in grief and shouting in anger. 

Bob looked away, his hand scratching the back of his head. “Don’t worry about it, I’m sure I would have done the same thing…” he answered her unspoken embarrassment.

Dot’s eyes dropped to the floor, her hands clasping in front of her. “I’m… really sorry about that. It wasn’t a very good day.”

“It’s forgotten.” 

They stared at each other for a moment before Dot gestured into the apartment. “Are you thirsty?”

“Sure.” He followed her in, casually looking at the simply decorated apartment, feminine touches of rebellious colors adorning various open spaces on tables and walls. He noticed a mess of toys on the couch, the clutter surprising him. Dot did a double take as her eyes followed his and she quickly moved to straighten up.

“Sorry about the mess, I haven’t been here in a while…”

“It’s ok, you don’t have to do that.” He noticed a picture on the table, her with an older man with glasses, and a little boy. He remembered the boy from the day he arrived. “What’s his name?”

Dot looked at the picture, her face showing sadness for just a moment. “Enzo. He’s 3 hours old.”

“He looks like a handful.”

“You could say that again.” She moved into the small kitchen and poured two glasses of water. “Sorry, this is all I have.”

“It’s fine.” Bob glanced around again, frowning as he took notice of only one room. “Do you live here alone?”

Dot sat on the couch. “I did. It was supposed to be temporary, until the Diner was finished. I was going to live there while Enzo and Dad stayed in the Twin City…”

Bob put the picture on the table. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It wasn’t your fault.” Dot looked ahead. “It wasn’t anyone’s fault.” 

“Especially not his.”

Dot turned to him sharply. Her hand tightened on her glass.

“Dot, your father didn’t destroy the Twin City. He didn’t kill all of those people. You say you know that, but I don’t think you believe it.” He held her gaze. “He didn’t cause the explosion.”

“How… how do you know that?” 

“I just do.”

She stared back, something working behind her eyes, the violet shimmering under unshed tears. Her eyes finally dropped, a neatly manicured hand brushing her cheek. “Thank you.” She looked up at him again, her composure on a delicate thread. “And thank you, for tonight.” She shivered, her imagination taking her to a place that sickened her, a place where Bob hadn’t been around.

Bob moved, kneeling on the floor before her. “Hey, don’t mention it.” He placed his hands on hers. “Is there someone you want me to call?”

His eyes were so eager to help, to provide some sort of comfort, that Dot felt her control slip. He wanted to make her feel better, and it was so thoughtful of this sprite who’d only spoken with her once before, and as hard as she tried to stop from crying, the stress of the night combined with the terrible loss of her friends and father broke the dam she built to survive. Dot’s head dropped into her hand, attempting to hide her grief, but the sobs could not be held at bay.

“I’m sorry!” she cried, “I’m sorry, it’s not you. Everything has just… this wasn’t supposed to happen, none of this was supposed to happen.” She stood and moved to the kitchen, dropping her glass in the sink and grabbing a towel while the tears streamed down her cheeks. “I’m fine, I really am, I’ll be okay, you don’t have to call anyone-.”

‘Who would you call anyway? They’re all dead, and Phong… what would Phong think about you, running off with some reporter…’

Dot cried harder at the malicious voice in her head, but again tried to convey reassurance to her guest. “I’ll be fine, I’ve always been fine on my own, please don’t worry about me, I just need to get this out, stupid emotional overreaction-.”

She turned to face the living room, to smile at Bob with a light joke, when she ran into him. She stumbled and he caught her, his arms wrapping securely around her, his chin resting on her shoulder as he whispered to her, “It’s ok, Dot. It’s ok.”

Her chest hitched, her words were lost in a throat constricted with tears. She’d almost had it, almost had her balance back, almost had control of herself. And then this dipswitch had to be so damn caring!

It was over then. Dot’s arms latched around his slender form and she pressed her head into his shoulder. The words flowed out of her, hot and bitter on her tongue. “No it’s not! I knew better! I knew I was vulnerable, I knew it was risky, I barely knew him, and I didn’t care! I didn’t care, Bob, I didn’t care at all, because what worse could happen! My whole life was just blown away, and I thought some man could make it all better! How could I believe that? How could I let myself think he actually cared about me? How could I be so stupid?!”

Bob winced at the sharp tone of her voice, laced with the pain of her guilt. He squeezed her closer, knowing all too well how vicious a sprite could be on the self after making a mistake. Dixon flashed before his eyes, the feeling of her body vanishing from his arms still making his throat tight with regret. 

“It wasn’t your fault,” he whispered over her hysterical sobs. “It wasn’t your fault, Dot, don’t do this to yourself. You didn’t know what would happen, you did the best you could; it wasn’t your fault.” 

Vaguely, a part of him wondered if he was trying to convince her… or convince himself. 

Under his hands, he could feel her body begin to relax, her embrace growing heavy as she sank into exhaustion. He pulled back and smiled lightly. Her smile fell short, though she tried, and his heart ached for her. Bob took her hand and led them both over to the couch, where he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and let her lean on his side. 

After some time of comfortable silence, broken only by her dwindling sniffles, Bob felt her shift. He looked over to see her sitting back slightly, the tracks on her cheeks slowly drying while she tried to look anywhere but at him.

“I’m really sorry about all this, I’m not really this emotional. Not all the time, anyway.”

Bob’s hand ran down her arm. “I’d be worried if you weren’t upset about all of this.” He smiled. “Besides, sprites are emotional creatures. You’re allowed to be a sprite, you know.”

She shrugged. “I don’t like it.”

“What?”

“Being out of control.”

Bob laughed lightly. “Yeah, I could believe that.”

“What happened to you?”

The cadet came up short, his laugh catching in his throat. He tried to look unfazed but couldn’t mask his face quickly enough. 

“You seem to know a lot about this, that’s all,” Dot rushed, suddenly worried she had upset him. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked that.”

Bob sighed and relaxed back into the couch. “No, it’s ok. I just lost someone recently… a good friend.”

“Your girlfriend?”

The laugh left him in a harsh bark. “No, not at all. She was my mentor.” He looked at his hands. “There was a virus…” 

Her hand touched his shoulder before she spoke again. “You blame yourself, don’t you?”

Bob was silent for a moment. “They said it wasn’t my fault…”

“And you don’t believe them.”

“I could have done more. I could have been faster.” ‘I could have kept my opinions about deletion to myself…’

“Sprites are creatures with limitations. You are allowed to be a sprite, you know.”

Bob looked at her, not bothering to hide the surprise on his face as she turned her words on him. Her soft smile, barely teasing but openly concerned, melted his heart and he could find no annoyance at her for her bold honesty.

“I do now,” he smiled back. She reached for his hand and he clasped it tightly, feeling warmed by the simple touch. He stared at their entwined fingers, loving how perfectly her hand fit into his.

Something twisted in his chest. What was he thinking? The girl had been through a rough night and a terrible couple of cycles. She needed comfort, yes, but it was not his place to give it. He was leaving in the morning and Linux was probably wondering where he was. 

He needed to go, before he made things worse. Before he said things he might regret… Bob looked back up, shifting his body to stand and opening his mouth to speak.

Her face was right before his, her breath tickling his lips, and his words were lost in her kiss. It was awkward and clumsy, a byproduct of nervousness and uncertainty about her actions. He didn’t move, too shocked by the sudden turn of events to even return the gesture.

She pulled away and he wished she hadn’t opened her eyes to see the look on his face. Instantly her face reflected hurt, too quick for her to hide, and her cheeks turned red.

Bob’s heart leapt in his throat as she pulled away, accepting his reaction as rejection.

She couldn’t have been more wrong.

Dot turned away from him, her face in her hands in embarrassment, moving to place distance between them. 

‘Oh, User, what the Dell was I thinking? Stupid, stupid, stupid! I just can’t read anybody, can I?’

His hand caught the crook of her arm, halting her. Her eyes drifted to his face, and her breath caught in her throat. Never before had she been looked at with such compassion, tinted by sadness and…

Longing?

Her heart began thudding in her chest. Slowly, Bob leaned forward, his gaze shifting from her eyes to her mouth, until his lips pressed softly against her. The gentleness sent a thrill through her stomach. As quickly as they came, his lips left hers. She watched him lean back with inquisitive eyes.

Excitement filled her when he moved forward. His eyes drifted closed and hers quickly followed as he kissed her again. The gentle caress increased in pressure. Dot felt her head begin to swim, distantly aware his hand had moved from hers to circle around her back. Her hands came up to his chest as he pulled her closer, and his free hand brushed along the skin at the back of her neck.

The touch sent a spark through her, causing her to gasp. The soft sound of surprise gave way to a low moan of pleasure when his mouth opened to hers, the kiss deepening with a sweep of his tongue. She returned the gesture, indulging in the taste of him, and delighting in his quiet moan of reply.

She wanted more.

Pulling away from the kiss, she held his brown eyes and moved both legs under her. She pushed him back against the couch, deliberately moving one knee up and over his hips. His eyes widened as she settled her weight on him, and his mouth opened to speak. 

She didn’t want him to speak. She just wanted him. Delicately wrapping her hands around his face, she silently begged him to say nothing. When no words came, she leaned down, tilting her head to meet his lips in another searing kiss. This time there was no hesitation as their tongues met gently, then more urgently. 

Dot’s hands ran up into his short silver hair, her fingers tightening in the soft strands. She thought her heart would explode when his hands settled on her hips, his thumbs circling over the purple fabric, the motion burning straight to her skin. The fire spread with the movement of his hands; down the sides of her hips, down the tops of her legs, past the hem of her skirt, she sighed against his lips when heated fingertips stroked along the smooth skin of her slender legs.

His hands moved up under her dress.

Her head fell back with a low moan. Bob’s soft lips latched onto her exposed neck, a quick dart of his tongue licking lightly over the rapid beat of her pulse. His kiss against her neck and the slow strokes of his hands against the bare skin of her hips were becoming too much for her. 

Only conscious of the heat coursing through her, she was unaware of her body moving against his until a sharp cry left him. She froze when his fingers dug deep into her skin, stilling her movements. He was leaning back against the couch, his eyes closed and his chest heaving slightly. 

“Bob?” she whispered, her eyes wide in fear she had somehow hurt him.

His eyes opened partly. The heat in his gaze drew her closer, but she paused when he stiffened from her slight movement. She looked at him confused. His fingers tightened on her hips and shifted her forward.

Immediately, a surge of heat burned in her abdomen as her body reacted to his. Her fingers gripped his shoulders while she shivered from the intimate touch and another moan left her, this one more passionate than those before. Just as quickly as the feeling overcame her, a deep blush spread across her cheeks. Her eyes darted to his as embarrassment washed over her. She pulled back from him, suddenly shy.

“What?” Bob asked softly.

“This is really happening,” she answered. Another shiver went through her, this time at the sudden coldness on her hips when he moved his hands away. “Wait.”

But Bob didn’t. One hand touched her face and the other rested on the bare skin of her arm, pulling her in for a gentle kiss. “I can’t believe it either,” he whispered against her lips. He pulled back enough to press his forehead against hers. “A lot has happened. Maybe this is too fast.” A sigh, sounding heavy with regret, left him. “This isn’t like me at all.”

“I like you this way.”

“Taking advantage of a sprite who’s been to Dell and back?”

Dot pulled away from him sharply, her face flashing with anger. “You haven’t taken anything I haven’t offered freely!”

Bob looked at her, surprised by the feeling in her outburst. 

“You’re here because I want you here, you got that?”

“Dot-.”

“You’re a good man,” she cut him off, her voice thickening. “You couldn’t take advantage of anybody.”

“I’m sorry,” he replied, the seriousness of his eyes conveying his sincerity. “I didn’t mean to upset you.” 

“You didn’t upset me!” she argued, angrily swatting at the sudden tears that slipped to her chin.

Bob said nothing.

Dot turned her head away, ashamed at her behavior. “I’m sorry,” she whispered as she fought for control of her tears. “I don’t know what came over me.”

“It’s all right,” Bob reassured her. “You’ve had a long night. You should get some rest.”

Her head snapped up, eyes wide. “Don’t go,” she begged him.

“I think it’s best if I do…”

“Please don’t leave me!”

Dot watched Bob’s face go from shocked to compassionate, from sad to concerned, and from doubtful to resigned. Her heart was in her throat, her eyes burned with the threat of fresh tears, and she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to hold back her cries if he chose to leave now. She lifted her hand to his face, pressing her fingers lightly against the soft blue skin. 

“Stay.” He made no move, and she took one last chance, pressing herself to him and leaving a kiss on his neck near his ear. “Please, stay with me.”

He heaved a sigh and wrapped his arms around her back. She molded to him, hoping this meant he wouldn’t go. Then he spoke.

“No.”

Dot stiffened, a wave of pain coursing through her. “No,” she mumbled into his neck as the first tear slid down her cheek.

“Not here.”

Dot’s eyes shot open. She leaned back into the couch, watching in confusion as he stood and pulled her to her feet. His face was neutral but his eyes were dark as he stared down at her. Gently, he bent down and lifted her into his arms.

Dot gasped as she went with him, surprised at how easily he moved. She pressed herself against his chest, her arms locked around his neck, and then they were leaving for her bedroom.


	3. Finding You

Reaching out as they entered her room, she turned on the light before she was set on her feet. His hands rested on her hips just under her yellow belt. She held his arms and stared up at him.

Although Bob had brought them here, he seemed reluctant to move any further. 

Dot wasn’t. 

Leaning in, her lips reached up to his, the touch soft… and fleeting when a loud chirp broke the moment. Bob lifted his left arm, staring at the electronic device as it clicked and whirred, its silver circular surface spinning in what appeared to be agitation. Bob covered it with his hand, his fingers pressing into the side. There was a sound like an electronic sigh and the device powered down. He removed it from his arm brace to her nightstand.

“What was that?”

“Nothing,” Bob answered, reaching for her.

Holding his gaze, she slid her hands down to rest on his, moving them from her body to meet at the buckle of her belt. Her fingers deftly began to remove his own. The room was silent save for the clink of the metallic buckles, followed by the soft thud of each. 

Dot ran her hands up his torso to the nape of his neck. She grabbed the silver zipper and started to pull it down. Bob pulled off his silver arm braces, letting them fall unheeded to the floor. 

Dot was the first to break eye contact as she moved her hands to the parted material of his one piece uniform. Pressing her hands against his torso resulted in his sudden intake of breath and the reflex of his taught muscles under the smooth skin. A smile spread across her face as she slid her hands up over his chest to spread out across his shoulders, easing the material down his toned arms. 

Her mouth went dry as the top half of his body became bare to her eyes. She’d seen half naked male sprites in pictures snuck in at school with her friends… they were inadequate compared to the man in front of her. Her breath started to come faster as her fingers splayed across the smooth skin of his chest and began their descent downwards to the remainder of his suit.

His hands caught her wrists when she grabbed the material bunched at his slender hips. Surprised at the strong grip, she looked up into his smiling face. 

“My turn.”

His hands left her wrists on a quest up her arms, over her shoulders, and down her back. Dot arched forward when his hands ran down to her hips, continuing further as they had before to the edge of her dress. Tugging lightly, he began to hike up the satin purple material.

Dot closed her eyes as the dress moved; never thinking the material being pulled over her skin could be so erotic. Past her curved hips, above her flat stomach, over the swell of her breasts, and then the dress was free from her arms and discarded on the floor. Adorned only in her knee high boots, thigh high colored stockings, and her matching purple and yellow lace underwear, Dot imagined the look on his face. 

When she opened her eyes, she wasn’t disappointed. A blush began to spread across her skin at the look of barely concealed desire in his eyes. Her chest began to heave slightly in anticipation.

Bob no longer hesitated. Grabbing her hips, he pulled her to him in a crushing hug, his mouth coming down on hers hungrily while his hands moved possessively over her skin. Dot moaned loud in her throat, her mouth ravished by his, and she broke from him to cry out when he pressed her hips into his. He dipped her back, kissing down her neck to the bare skin above her chest.

Dot hooked her leg up around his hip to keep her balance, unwittingly pressing against him intimately. Bob growled into her chest, one arm tightening around her lower back while the other held her raised leg under the knee. His hand moved up her leg to the curve of her hip, his fingers tracing over the thin lace of her underwear. 

Dot pressed into him again and both of Bob’s arms circled her back. He bent at the waist to lay her on the bed. Dot watched him move away to pull off his boots and she brought up her own to do the same. She reached for her stockings.

“Leave them,” Bob commanded softly.

She paused, looking up to see him kneeling before her on the floor. Before she could resist, his hands wrapped under her back and he pulled her into a sitting position, his mouth capturing hers again. She scooted closer to the edge of the bed to feel his body pressed against hers. His hand moved up her back followed by a tiny snap. 

Without breaking the kiss, Bob ran his hands up her arms and tugged the straps of her bra down, the thin material soon joining the others on the floor. Dot’s body caught fire again when his hands rested on the hour glass shape of her stomach, his thumbs rubbing up and down, slowly moving up to where she wanted them to be. 

Moaning in frustration, she attempted to push herself against his bare chest, to build up the friction she needed, but she was denied. Against her lips, she could feel Bob smiling. 

“Stop that,” she hissed through her teeth as his thumbs brushed the underside of her sensitive skin.

“What?” he asked with complete innocence. 

“Stop making me wait,” she moaned when his hands left her sides, their presence felt dangerously close and still not close enough. 

“But I’m having fun,” he chuckled softly, his lips moving to kiss her chin, then her neck, but still he didn’t touch the soft skin of her breasts.

“Really?” she growled. Before he could react, she reached her hand out to his stomach, slipping her hand down inside the waist band of his Guardian uniform. Bob gasped as her fingers came close, but not close enough, to his own sensitive flesh.

“Oh, User…”

“You’re right, this is fun,” she teased, moving her hand closer when she felt his fingertips brush her skin. As his hands moved away, so did hers.

His head lifted and he looked into her violet eyes. “You’re cruel.”

“Give me what I want, Guardian, and I’ll return the favor,” she purred at him. 

“Careful,” he breathed lightly as her fingers made lazy patterns on his navel. “I might hold you to that.”

“Try me.” Dot felt her stomach tighten at the serious look which came over him, a look that held promise. She had a feeling she was about to get more than she just bargained for.

His hands didn’t touch her like she expected. They pushed on her shoulders, sending her back onto the mattress. Before she could raise her head to look up at him, he was on her, his mouth falling upon her left breast with the hunger of a starved man. Dot cried out at the sensations of his tongue on her, her hands coming up around his head to grip at his short silver strands. Dot’s heart was pounding as his lips left one breast to pay homage to the other, and her back arched shamelessly up for more while sounds of her pleasure filled the room. 

There was a pressure building inside her, and the delicious attention he was giving her just wasn’t enough anymore. She ground her hips against his stomach, silently pleading for his body to join hers. Around the sensitive skin of her breast, she could feel him smile at her insistence. 

“Impatient, are we?” he asked while licking at the skin between her breasts.

“You have no idea,” she moaned in obvious frustration. “Get up here,” she ordered him, grabbing at his arms and attempting to pull him on top of her. 

“No,” he resisted. “I’m not ready yet.”

“I doubt that,” she glowered at him. One hand left his arm and moved down his stomach, but before she could prove her point, he grabbed her wrist and pinned it down on the bed. 

“I said no,” he admonished, looking up at her between her breasts. 

“What else could you possibly need to be ready?” she said in exasperation.

For a moment, he simply stared at her, his eyes daring her to turn from him. Then, without looking away, he kissed the skin over her sternum. He shifted, and lowered his head to kiss the top of her stomach. He moved again, and kissed her above her belly button, smiling as her stomach constricted at the touch.

With deliberate slowness, he moved lower.

Dot’s eyes widened. “Oh.” She watched him move slowly, so slowly, down her body, her hips involuntarily lifting when he kissed the skin above the line of her lace underwear. His eyes never left hers, and distantly she heard herself say, “You don’t have to…” while her free hand reached down to his face. As before, he grasped her wrist and pinned it to the bed with his other hand, effectively ceasing any further attempts to deny him.

Dot’s pulse raced as he hovered over the apex of her legs, his eyes delighting in her reactions to his movements. He bent his head down, her breath caught, and then she groaned when his head moved to the right, to kiss the tattoo on the inside of her thigh. She felt his laughter go through her leg to the center of her body.

“Rebel,” he mocked as he kissed the dark ink once more. 

“Torturer,” she shot back, not bothering to hide the discomfort he was putting her through. Unconsciously, her legs parted while his lips danced over her inner thigh. 

“I’m enjoying myself,” he replied, removing his hands from the bed to cup around her calves, running his fingers up and down the colorful fishnet material of her stockings.

“I bet you won’t say that when it’s my turn.”

He stopped in his caresses, his eyes flicking up to hers with a look of surprise… and anticipation. 

Dot licked her lips. “Now that I have your attention,” she murmured, “keep in mind that I give… as good… as I get,” she annunciated. Her heart thrilled at the not too subtle gulp of her companion.

After a pause, Bob’s hands resumed their movement, up over her knees and to her hips, where they played with the lace band of her underwear. He held her eyes that were slowly drifting closed with his touch and asked softly, “Do these have any personal value?”

She raised an eyebrow at him. “No…”

A sharp tug, a loud tear, and the barrier was tossed aside with the rest. Dot couldn’t help but laugh at his antics, a laugh that soon faded into a soft cry of pleasure as she watched him dip his head between her legs. The feel of his lips upon her was sensational. The touch of his tongue on her was indescribable. The stroke of his fingers against her was unbelievable. 

The combination of all three was mind blowing.

Dot’s head fell back against the bed, her arms reaching out to grasp the sheets, clutching them as her body went through waves of pleasure she didn’t know were possible. Deep inside, she could feel the pressure building into something explosive, and her moans grew louder as her nerves became overloaded with the loving attention he continued to give her. Her hips thrust up from the bed, feeling like something inside her was about to snap. Bob moved with her, his muscular build restraining her movements enough to maintain contact. The constant movement of his mouth and his hand on her was becoming too much to bear, and Dot’s head pressed deeper into the mattress while her chest heaved for breath. 

She could feel her whole body tense as she reached the edge of her control. She heard Bob’s name being said over and over again, vaguely realizing it was her own voice saying it, and her eyes opened to look down her sweat covered body to the young blue sprite who was loving her. In that split second, his eyes met hers, and shock crashed through her body.

He was loving her. 

It was that realization which pushed her over. Dot’s head fell back again as she recognized the first waves of release. Her body trembled while her breath heaved, and then her hands were reaching for her pillow to muffle the near scream that left her when the tension finally snapped. 

She was lightheaded when it passed. Her entire body had gone limp, her throat ached from the overwhelming cries that filled her small apartment, and she was distantly aware of a gentle touch on her skin in the same region that still radiated the small tremors of her release. The haze around her began to clear and she felt the bed sink down next to her. Opening her eyes, she looked over at Bob, now lying parallel to her and devoid of his uniform, one hand propping up his head while the other hand continued to lightly caress between her legs. 

“Hi,” she whispered to him, slightly embarrassed at the hoarseness with which she now spoke. 

“Hi,” he smiled back. “Are you ok?” 

She couldn’t help but laugh at the genuine concern in his voice. “Yes,” she said when she got control of herself. “I’ve never been better.” She brought her hand up to his face. “You are amazing.” 

Suddenly, her mouth dropped open and her eyes widened as a gasp left her.

“What?” he asked, his smile fading into a look of worry. 

“That was just the opener!” 

The stupefied look on Bob’s face was priceless, and Dot fell again into a fit of giggles. Soon, Bob was laughing with her, his hand moving up her body to wrap her in a loose hug she easily returned. As the laughter subsided, Dot felt his hand stroking up and down her bare back, drawing a soft sound of appreciation from her lips. She looked up at him, one perfectly shaped eyebrow arching at him over her violet eyes. 

“So, Guardian,” she drawled softly, the fingertips of her hand gently sliding over the warm skin of his chest to continue lower, “are you ready now?” 

His answer was a soft intake of breath and the involuntary closing of his eyes as she caressed the skin of his desire. She thrilled at the response her touch drew from him. She stared down at her hand, at the power it possessed at that moment. His own hand moved from her back down her arm to brush gently across her hand. It hovered, as if waiting. 

Dot looked up, seeing Bob’s eyes staring down at her, a silent question there. It took her a moment to realize he was seeking permission. Like her before, he wanted more. This time, Dot wasn’t in the mood to tease. She leaned up to brush her lips against his. “Show me,” she whispered. 

His hand covered hers, tightening her grip to a stronger pressure, before moving it in a firm stroke that slowly increased in speed. Bob’s head fell from his hand to the bed, his breathing slowly becoming ragged with her administrations. Soft groans began in his throat as his body started to move with her. 

Dot watched him with growing excitement, wondering if this was how he felt when he was loving her. She caught herself thinking of that look in his eyes from earlier… and found herself asking if he would see the same look in her own. She wanted to know. 

Her thoughts suddenly fled her when she felt his hand move between her legs, the touch so electric she rolled onto her back and let herself open more fully to him. She felt herself building again as her frantic strokes were matched by his, and she feared letting go too quickly before they could be together. She slowed her movements, forcing his hazy brown eyes to open and look down at her. 

“What do you want, Bob?” she asked quietly, gently stroking him while she gave him the choice of his release. 

“You,” he answered hoarsely, the response instantaneous. Dot’s hand stopped, her heart flipping at the simple request. She knew that would happen tonight anyway… but the way he said it made her pulse race just a little bit faster…

She regained herself as she smirked at him. “How?” she clarified. She licked her lips again, sending him the message that there was still time for payback. He responded by increasing the pressure of his fingers against the sensitive skin between her legs. 

“Here,” he whispered over her soft cry. 

She nodded. “Come here,” she whispered back, pulling with both hands his body over hers. He rolled willingly, settling above her on his elbows, his legs and abdomen hovering over her. 

She could see he was shaking slightly, and still he did not move. Reaching up to his face, she looked into his eyes for what she had seen earlier… but it was no longer there. Or he was hiding it. 

She wasn’t going to hide from him. She sat up on her elbows and kissed him, coaxing his lips open to allow her to caress his tongue with her own in slow, languid strokes, mimicking with her mouth what she wanted him to do with his body. As their kiss continued, deep and sensuous, Bob relaxed his body onto hers, pressing her down into the mattress. She felt him touch her intimately, and a sigh left her. 

“Are you ok?” he whispered against her parted lips. 

“Not yet,” she replied, lifting her hips against his in anticipation of what was to come, “but I will be.” She looked up into his eyes and saw a glimmer of concern shadowed by doubt. 

“I’m sure,” she whispered up at him, truly touched. “Please?”

His lips descended on hers again, and Dot wrapped her arms around his neck as she lost herself in the powerful touch of his mouth on hers. She barely noticed his body shift until he pulled his head back and stared at her. She nodded, and he pressed. 

Dot’s head rolled back into the mattress and Bob’s fell forward onto her shoulder. Finally, they were together, and he felt amazing to her. Instantly, her legs came up around his hips, pulling him in closer to her, never wanting him to leave. He gasped as she moved against him, and she did it again just to hear those soft noises. 

He responded in kind as he began to move, and this time she was providing the vocals. Oh, it was better than she imagined. The feeling of being complete with him was so good, she thought she could delete right then and she wouldn’t care. His upper body hovered over hers, their chests barely touching with each movement, and her skin jumped from small shocks every time their bodies met. She gripped his back, gently pushing him down to lay his full weight upon her, moaning out in pleasure at the sudden security she felt underneath him. 

As long as he was there, nothing could ever hurt her again. 

As long as he was there…

Sorrow surged through her, the emotion strong and unexpected, the pain leaving her in a cry as he moved faster. He said he wouldn’t leave… but that was tonight. Eventually he would go back to his home… 

She might never see him again. 

“Dot?”

Through her whirl of thoughts, his voice reached her. Slowly, she came back to herself and realized that they were both still. When did it become so quiet? Her eyes opened and she looked up, unaware of the tears until her vision blurred. She felt his hand caress her face. 

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered, and it occurred to her he thought he’d hurt her. He moved and she felt him starting to leave her. 

“No,” she gasped and grabbed his arms, pulling him back. “No, Bob,” she whispered, her voice cracking over the lump that had appeared in her throat. “Don’t leave me. Please don’t leave me.”

“Dot, what’s wrong?” he asked.

“I love you,” she answered softly. His breath caught and he stilled above her. “I’ve known you for one cycle, not even that, and you saved my life, and I feel like the only sprite who ever existed with you, and I love you.”

Bob stared down at her, his mouth open in shock. 

“Don’t leave, Bob,” Dot pleaded with him. “Stay in Mainframe. Stay with me.”

Bob’s face changed to a look she couldn’t place. Sadness, longing, love? Whatever he was feeling, he didn’t seem to have the words. Or he didn’t want to make a promise he couldn’t keep. Dot’s heart broke as she watched him struggle to speak.

“No,” she whispered brokenly then pressed her lips softly against his. “Don’t say it,” she begged, knowing she couldn’t bear the pain of his denial to her request. “Just love me.”

She moved her hips and Bob gasped involuntarily. He seemed to want to regain control of himself, to damper down the desire that shot through him, but Dot would have none of that. He had given her release, he deserved the same. 

Whether he loved her or not, she wanted to love him. 

Pushing up against him, she caught him by surprise as she rolled him on his back without breaking contact. Settling on him, she sighed at the new feelings which coursed through her. She heard Bob mutter a question around a groan as she moved, and she leaned down over him. 

She silenced his protests with her fingers on his lips, shivering as his eyes darkened. Dampening down on her wild emotions, Dot kissed him hard, taking ownership of his mouth. 

He did not resist. 

Soon, the desire built back up in her, and she began moving against him. His hands went to her hips, helping her move against him as his head fell back and he groaned in pleasure. Dot became lost in her own senses, her hands on his chest allowing her to feel the rapid beat of his heart. As her movements became more synchronized with his, she pulled his hands from her hips and moved them to her chest, where a whole new set of sparks raced through her body at his touch. 

When his hands weren’t enough, Bob pulled himself up to press his mouth to her breast. Dot cried out in pleasure as he nipped at her, her moans becoming harsher while her body tensed again in preparation for another release. 

This time, she wouldn’t be alone. She was about to speed up her movements when Bob’s mouth left her and she felt herself lifted up. The room spun and again she found herself under the blue sprite, her eyes barely having time to register his smoldering stare before he moved with her so quickly her back arched her body up against him. Her cry was silenced by his mouth descending on hers, claiming it for his own. 

In that moment, she felt it. His body was telling her what her heart longed to hear. The tension was so tight within her, she was almost in pain. Her throaty cries must have revealed this. Bob broke the kiss and stared down at her, his eyes nearly black.

“Tell me again,” he whispered to her around his jagged breaths. 

“What?” she responded, her head falling back as she began to lose herself to the release. 

“Tell me you love me.”

Dot’s eyes flew open and the tension began to splinter. “Tell me first.” 

He kissed her again, leaving her breathless, but slowing in his movements until she cried out in despair as her release ebbed away. “Tell me,” he whispered in her ear. 

Dot gritted her teeth. Bob lifted his body slightly before she felt his hand move in between them, to stroke her between her legs. Dot’s voice cried out at the sudden explosion of desire that went through her, and rapidly she was near the edge again. 

“Tell me, Dot,” he demanded with his lips and with his touch. 

“Bob…” she moaned against him.

“Dot. Please.” 

Her eyes caught his, and she could see it there again. The look he had given her earlier. He hadn’t said the words… but he didn’t need to. 

She grabbed his face. “I love you.”

He kissed her, moving again, and Dot felt herself go over the edge with him. Their lips broke apart as the release filled them, their cries woven together as tightly as their bodies. Dot felt every millimeter of her body, her muscles rigid and face burning with the force of her release. As the pleasure faded, she went limp, her body satiated. When her breathing returned to its steady rhythm, she became aware of the extra weight on her chest. 

She opened her eyes and looked down at her companion, his body drained and still upon her, his head resting in the space between her neck and shoulder. His heaving breaths, slowly returning to normal, blew warm air against the heated skin of her neck. Lifting her arms, she moved one along his back, tracing lazy patterns on his skin while the other cradled his head against her.

Smiling, she pressed a kiss against his sweat covered forehead. “Are you okay?” she mimicked his earlier question.

His soft chuckle rumbled through her body, the vibrations sending small shivers down her spine. “Yeah,” he mumbled into her neck. “I’m still alive… I think.”

She tensed the muscles of her lower body, eliciting a soft moan from him in response. “I think that’s a yes,” she whispered back. She let her head fall back into the pillow, her arms tightening around him and her eyes closing in contentment.

It may have been a millisecond that passed, maybe less, the two having dozed off for a brief amount of time. The chill of the night air set in, and Dot came back to alertness as her body shivered. Bob’s head lifted after a second chill went through her, his eyes almost clear. “Let’s move,” he whispered in a voice husky with sleep.

Dot immediately felt the loss of his body when he moved away, her body so much colder than before. She quickly moved off the bed so he could pull back her blankets, encouraging her into the warm depths first. She faced him, watching as he crawled in beside her. Securing the blankets around them, he wrapped his arms about her body, rubbing gently along her arms to ward off the chill that had pressed into her soft skin.

“Better?” he asked. 

She nodded and kissed him in gratitude. Her head lowered to lie against his chest while he sighed and relaxed into the mattress. Though they were tired, neither seemed willing to fall asleep. Bob’s hands continued to softly stroke her arms, and Dot’s hand traced small geometric shapes on the smooth skin of his chest. 

“Everything okay?” Bob asked after several moments of silence.

“Yeah,” Dot replied, looking up at him from his chest. “Everything’s fine.”

“What are you thinking about?”

“You.”

Bob smiled. “Really? Do tell.”

“You’re a coward.”

Bob’s mouth dropped. “What?”

Dot moved off of him, rolling onto her side and pressing her back into his chest before snuggling her head down into the pillow. “I called you a coward, because you didn’t tell me... what I told you,” she teased. Though her voice was light and her words without sting, her heart ached with doubt.

Bob spooned up behind her, his arm tightening around her waist. Settling his head down gently against her face, he gave her cheek a chaste kiss. “Male logic.”

“What?”

“If I don’t say it out loud, then I can pretend it doesn’t exist. If it doesn’t exist, I can live with myself when I have to go back.” Bob drew a deep breath and let it out in a heavy sigh. “And when I have to go back, I won’t have to face the truth that I want to throw away hours of my life to become a Guardian… for a sprite I’ve fallen for in seconds.”

Dot’s chest tightened, her heart torn between joy at his admission and pain at his imminent departure. “Omission of the fact doesn’t make it any less true.”

“Shh, don’t let my brain hear that,” he joked.

Despite the gravity of the conversation, a soft snort of laughter escaped Dot. “Male logic, huh? You know what we women call that? An oxymoron.” Dot laughed when he pinched her side. 

Silence settled again while Dot thought about his words. “So,” she whispered, “this sprite you like must be something special.” She felt him smile against her cheek.

“Yeah,” he answered softly. “She’s really pretty, very stylish, independent and strong, and way smarter than I could ever be.” 

“Is she funny?”

“Yes.”

“Does she have a beautiful smile?”

“The best.”

“And a rocking body?”

“Deliciously so.”

“Hmm, she sounds awesome.”

“She is. And humble.”

Dot laughed at his sarcastic compliment. “Well, you better make sure she knows that before someone else sweeps her off her feet.”

Bob heaved a dramatic sigh, rolling onto his back against the pillow and throwing an arm up over his head. “You’re right. I should go tell her.” Throwing the covers back, Bob made to get out of the bed.

“Hey!” Dot exclaimed, jumping up to grab his arm and forcefully pull him back onto the bed. “Don’t even play!” she scolded, her fingers fluttering and poking around his ribcage, successfully dodging his attempts to ward her off.

“No, Dot, stop!” he laughed, squirming under her assault. “Uncle, uncle!” he cried.

“That’s what I thought,” Dot gloated, crossing her arms under her bare chest, a smug smile on her face at the childish victory.

Bob’s expression was anything but childish when his hand moved behind her neck and pulled her lips down to his in a soft and passion filled kiss. Dot’s arms fell around him, her body pressing down onto his. His arms wrapped around her, hugging her close. He pulled back and his thumb traced the soft skin of her lips. Her breath caught at the seriousness in his eyes.

“I love you, Dot,” he whispered. 

Her gentle smile did nothing to express the happiness which filled her heart, and the stream of words that begged to burst forth was lost in her throat. “I know,” she answered simply. Pressing forward, she stole his mouth again, releasing all the tension in her body to let herself be wrapped securely in his embrace, banishing the sorrow of knowing this night would end… but not just yet. 

She let herself be rolled under him and lost herself in his tender kisses; safely aware dawn was a long time coming.


	4. Though I'd Die to Know You Love Me

Light and warmth. Those were the two things Bob noticed first as he woke from a sound sleep. His eyes slowly opened and he took in the colorful surroundings, brightened by the morning sun. It took him a moment to recognize the room as not that of his hotel, but as belonging to the woman curled up beside him. 

Smiling, his eyes drifted down to the mop of green hair accentuated by the messy rainbow streaks. Her back was pressed firmly against his chest, his arm wrapped securely around her waist, the heat of her skin a soft comfort against his hand. He was tempted to slide his fingers across that skin, but resisted as the memories of last night came back to him.

This hadn’t been the first time he awoke that morning. It was still dark when feather light touches trailed fire across his chest, and his eyes adjusted in the dim light of the room to see Dot’s head hovering over him, her kisses slowly moving lower down his body.

Bob felt his cheeks warm. She hadn’t been lying when she said she would give back to him as good as she got. 

He felt his body responding to the memories, and quickly put his feelings on lockdown. The cadet needed to get back to the hotel before Linux realized he was gone… or, more accurately, had never been back. Glancing over Dot’s head, he noticed the clock. It was still early. He had time to get back before they left.

Bob’s heart skipped.

They were leaving Mainframe today. He had forgotten.

Unconsciously, his arm tightened around Dot who mumbled in her sleep. Bob felt a cold dread fill him as he realized he was going to have to tell her of his departure. He feared more her question on when he would return.

Deep down, he knew it was likely he wouldn’t. 

Needing to get dressed, Bob carefully sat up. Instantly, he bit down on a groan as his hands cradled his head. The sudden throbbing behind his eyes eased to a dull ache. After a breath, he felt well enough to move again. 

Where did that come from? he wondered, settling on the assumption they had just gone a little bit too hard last night. A smile graced his lips despite the ebbing pain, knowing deep down he wasn’t complaining in the least. 

Bob carefully slipped out from the baby blue covers of her bed, quietly moving to put on his uniform. As he replaced the gauntlets, he decided he would make them Java and then he would talk to her, and be as honest with her as he could. Bob needed to make sure she knew how much their time together meant to him. After all, he told her he loved her, too. 

He paused as he gathered his boots, the memory halting his movements. He had told her. And he had meant it.

She needed to understand that.

He glanced at her again while retrieving Glitch, her slim body curled up under the covers save for the rainbow tufts of hair peaking out around the pillow. Bob thought he could hear the softest of snores. Oh, the blackmail he could use with that. 

He managed to sneak out without disturbing her, heading straight for the Java machine. Soon, two cups were brewing away, the aroma helping to clear the fog of his headache. Over the steam and drip of the machine, Bob heard Glitch power up, and then a number of soft beeps and trills as the sentient keytool analyzed his surroundings.

‘You stayed the night.’

Bob stilled for a brief moment in retrieving two mugs. Glitch had asked him not to… and he ignored him, shutting him down before leaving him forgotten on the nightstand. “Yes,” he answered softly.

Glitch gave an electronic sigh.

“What?” Bob asked, unable to hide the annoyance from his voice. 

‘You’re here to help the city, not fool around,’ Glitch admonished.

“Log off, Glitch,” Bob retorted, suddenly irritated with his keytool. He had enough on his mind, he didn’t need this. 

‘Your behavior is much different than I expected when I chose you.’

A spark of anger filled Bob at the disappointment in Glitch’s tone. “Why would you say that? I’m doing what I always do, helping others,” he defended, barely maintaining the soft tone to prevent waking Dot.

‘Is that what they’re calling it now?’

“I’m beginning to see why Dixon was so short with people,” Bob seethed.

‘At least Dixon had integrity and morals.’

“What?!” Bob snapped, quickly dropping his voice to a harsh whisper. “That was completely uncalled for and absolutely untrue!”

‘You shouldn’t have stayed, Bob. She was vulnerable and you knew it.’

Bob stared at his arm, anger burning in his throat. “She needed me.”

‘She needed a friend, not a one night stand.’

Bob felt like he’d been slapped. Before he could reply, Glitch continued.

‘You are about to become a Guardian, and from what I’ve seen, a good one. That’s why I chose you. You have a level of compassion that I’ve never seen in another Guardian.’ Glitch sighed again. ‘But you have to learn where to draw the line, before you get hurt.’

“Don’t worry about me,” Bob fumed. “I’ll be fine.”

‘Will she?’

Bob’s eyes went to the bedroom, his anger quickly cooling at the simple question. 

‘Sometimes the worst pain is the one we cause others,’ Glitch whirred softly. ‘You are not the first Guardian, and you will not be the last, to learn this.’

Bob’s hands pressed into the counter, his weight leaning forward while his head dropped with a sigh. “She’ll understand,” he whispered more to himself than to Glitch. “She has to.”

‘I truly hope for your sake she does, my young friend,’ Glitch comforted.

Steeling himself to the conversation to come, Bob poured the Java into the two cups. He picked them up as he began to move towards the bedroom.

The door opened, and a disheveled green sprite in a pink robe stumbled out, one hand pressed against her head while the other gripped the door frame.

Bob paused mid-stride. The initial cheerful greeting died on his lips as he looked at the young woman who appeared to be in a great deal of pain. “Are you all right?”

Dot’s head shot up, her eyes widening as she looked at him. The pain on her face was replaced by surprise, then anger. Quicker than he would have thought possible, Dot pulled a bat out from behind the couch and raised it towards him menacingly. “What the Dell are you doing in my apartment?!” 

Bob stood speechless.

“I asked you a question!” Dot shouted, brandishing the bat overhead. “Who are you, and what are you doing here?!”

“I’m Bob,” the cadet managed to spit out, “and you asked me to stay.”

“Stay?” she hissed at him. “What are you talking about? I have no idea who you are!”

“What?” Bob asked, but any further questions were lost when he noticed her eyes begin to fade. “Dot!” He slammed the mugs down, heedless of the Java spilling onto the counter, and rushed to her side before her legs gave out under her. She collapsed into him. He moved her onto the couch.

“I’m all right, go away,” Dot muttered. 

“Glitch, scanner!” The keytool complied while she struggled halfheartedly to get away from Bob. 

“Don’t yell, my head hurts,” she mumbled again. Her eyes closed and she looked about to faint away. 

“Dot!” Bob whispered in worry.

She sat up suddenly, her eyes wide and clear, and then she was stumbling over him as she dashed to the bathroom. 

Bob stood to follow her, wincing at the sounds of Dot being violently ill just as Glitch finished his scan. He glanced at the read out on his arm.

He froze. 

No.

He read the scan again. He sank back onto the couch, his arm falling beside him while he stared off at the wall. The sounds of the apartment were lost in the sudden pounding of his heart. 

User… what have I done?

A constant clicking broke through the haze of his guilt. He realized Glitch was talking to him. ‘... not your fault…’

Bob had no time to reply when the bathroom door opened. Ignoring the fear in his heart, he stood and walked over to the smaller sprite. Through bleary eyes, she looked up at him. 

“Are you all right?” Bob asked gently.

Her face conveyed as much annoyance as her drained body could provide. It was a pitiful attempt. “I will be when you explain yourself,” she croaked. She looked him up and down before leaning her head against the door frame with a sigh. “I’ve met you before, haven’t I?”

“You should sit down before you fall down,” Bob replied with a sigh of his own. “I’ll get you some water.”

“How about that explanation?”

“You’ll get that, too,” he soothed as he reached out a tentative hand towards her. “Please?”

She eyed him with mistrust before finally moving towards the couch. “I guess if you were here to rob me, you would have done it already.”

Bob winced behind her. Dot’s words cut him deep, the actions of last night taking on a whole new meaning to him. He filled a glass with water and brought it over with one of the Java cups. She took the glass silently and stared at him as he sat on the other end of the couch.

Knowing there was no easy way to do this, he plunged ahead. “Dot… what’s the last thing you remember?”

She frowned, staring down into her glass as she struggled. “Um… oh, User, I think it was… talking with Phong… about the press conference next second.” 

“This second,” Bob corrected gently. 

Dot looked up, her eyes quickly taking in the light of the apartment and the time on the chrono. She sat a little straighter as his words sank in. “Wait, what? We talked, like, 18 milliseconds ago. When did I… how did I get home?”

“You were out last night. Do you remember that?”

She ran her fingers through her hair, frustration setting in. “I was going out…” She took another sip and nodded her head. “Yes, I had a dinner date planned with someone.” Her eyes seemed to clear a little. “With Don.” As she looked at Bob, worry crossed her face. “Wait, where is he? Is he ok?”

Bob’s hands tightened around each other, the fingers almost going white. Managing to keep his face and voice neutral, he answered, “He’s better off than you are right now.” For how long, though, remained to be seen.

“What do you mean? What happened?”

Bob looked at the floor, his mind racing. How could he do this? He looked back up at her and he swallowed, seeing the confusion and panic in her eyes. “You have high levels of ActiveX in your system.” 

Dot stared at him, uncomprehending.

His heart sank a little further. “It’s a drug.”

“A drug?”

“It enhances moods, making individuals feel more emotionally charged and connected.” His voice went monotone. “In large doses, it can cause heightened sensitivity, anxiety, paranoia, headaches, nausea, and acute memory loss.” And an overactive sex drive, and increased emotional dependency, and decreased inhibitions, and decreased judgment…

Dot shook her head. “I don’t understand. Why would I take that?”

Bob felt like he was kicked in the gut. In the Supercomputer, this happened more often than sprites wanted to admit. But here, in this closed system, the citizens were untainted by cruel and corrupt desires. Here, strangers could be trusted. Here, people were safe.

Until he came along… 

Who, Bob?

The cadet flinched, turning his head in the hopes of hiding his thoughts. Before she could speak, he answered her question. “I don’t think you took it, Dot, not willingly.”

A pause. “Someone drugged me?” Dot’s voice was barely a whisper when she looked Bob square in the eyes and said, “Don?”

He remained still.

“Don drugged me? What, to make me feel better? That is ridiculous! I was perfectly happy with him last night, he didn’t need to-.” She paused, the fog seeming to clear in her mind. Her face paled as she worked out the math in her head. Her eyes snapped from their distant stare to Bob’s face, and he wanted to recoil from the pain in her eyes.

I’m so sorry, he silently pleaded to her.

“He wanted to… he was going to… and I wouldn’t have remembered?” Dot looked like she would be sick again, her voice now weak and frightened. In that moment, Bob wanted to reach for her, to comfort her and soothe her fears.

He had no right… 

For a few moments, Dot didn’t say anything. Then, quietly, she asked, “What happened to me last night?”

Bob’s mind flashed with memories, so fresh he could almost taste her on his lips. It made him sick. Grounding himself, the cadet told her about the alley, told her about the fight, about bringing her home at her insistence.

“And I asked you to stay here?”

Bob’s mouth went dry, his heart rapidly pounding in his chest. He nodded.

“Did I… did I make you-?” '…Please don’t leave me… stay… stay with me… please…'

“No.” Bob’s voice was firm. “You didn’t make me do anything, Dot. I stayed because you didn’t want to be alone. After the night you had, it wasn’t a strange request.” He found it was easy to tell the truth when it was selective.

Dot scratched her head, her voice dropping in mild embarrassment. “But I was drugged. I didn’t do anything...?”

You made me whole, that’s all. You showed me love, that’s all. You stole my heart, that’s all. You made me yours… that’s all. “No, Dot. You didn’t do anything… but be yourself.” 

And I didn’t do anything… but ruin you. She deserved to know… but his mouth clamped shut, preventing the confession that should have spilled from his lips from the start. She’d said he was a good man… why couldn’t he prove her right?

After a moment, Dot’s body relaxed. “You’re right.” She chuckled at herself. “You’re right, I’m pretty sure if I had thrown myself at you, you would have turned me in on charges of assaulting security.” She cocked her head at him, her eyes glancing up and down his suit. “That’s what you are, right? One of those defenders of systems?”

“We’re called Guardians,” he replied, his voice catching on the last word.

“Right.” She shook her head. “I remember now. So, first I blame you for the destruction of the Twin City, and then threaten to bash your head in after you come to my rescue. I understand if you never want to step foot in our small city again.”

Bob smiled at her, hoping it didn’t look as fake as it felt. 

Dot smiled back. “But thank you, for everything.” She stood, managing to keep her balance this time. “I think I’m feeling better now. I hope I look better.”

“You look great,” Bob answered without thinking.

Dot rolled her eyes. “Oh, User, you’re a savior and a charmer. Women must be throwing themselves at your feet all the time,” she teased. She straightened her robe as she looked at the chrono, failing to see the flash of pain on Bob’s face. “Well, I have to get ready for the press conference.” 

Tell her! Tell her now! “I should probably be getting back now,” Bob said instead. He began heading for the door, Dot walking beside him. “I’m heading back to the Supercomputer this second.” It hit him hard, the sadness he felt at his coming departure. The pain doubled as he looked at the woman he didn’t want to leave… and didn’t deserve to be near.

“Will I ever see you again?” she asked.

Bob’s eyes caught hers and he managed to swallow the sudden lump in his throat. “Probably not.” 

Her face reflected indifference. “Oh. Well, it was nice meeting you, and thanks again for everything you’ve done, for me and for Mainframe.”

Please remember me! his heart cried out, but his voice only said, “You’re welcome.” He stared at her for a moment as he stood on the other side of the door. She still looked beautiful to him. Beautiful… and untouchable. 

“Bye,” she smiled, and closed the door.

He stood there for countless nanos. Glitch beeped but Bob covered his faceplate, silencing his words. Eventually, he placed his hand on her door. So many words settled on his tongue, longing to be released, but nothing would be good enough. His head fell forward, his fevered forehead resting against the cool door, his shoulders hitching once. Then, he straightened, stepped on his zipboard and flew away.


	5. Isn't Something Missing

He couldn’t tell you how he got back.

The room was cold, the drawn curtains blocking out the light of the morning. He didn’t bother to turn off the air or open the window. He sat on the bed, his head falling into his hands. His body shivered, both inside and out. 

His thoughts raced, and Bob felt like he was being pulled across the entire Net. Everything had always been so clear to him: right and wrong, good and bad, moral and immoral. He knew who to stand by and who to avoid, he trusted the feeling in his gut when something was wrong… even when it put him at odds with others.

So how… why… User, what am I going to do?

He was supposed to be a Guardian soon! Mend and defend, not-

Not what, Bob? 

Everything had been wrong. Why hadn’t he seen the signs?! He should have known, he should have seen it-

You did see it, his mind whispered. You saw her lips, kissing you.

Stop, he argued back, his fingers digging into his short hair.

You saw her hands, baring you.

No, no, no, he hissed, his shallow breaths coming rapidly.

You saw her body, moving with yours.

He reacted, his body becoming tight as he felt her, heard her, tasted her-

Bob couldn’t reach the bathroom fast enough. 

It may have been microseconds, or only a few nanos, before Bob moved from the floor. He leaned on the sink, coughing and steadying his breath, when he looked up. His face was pale, his eyes red and watery. He looked exhausted, beaten, broken. 

Like Dot, he’d lost his innocence last night, too. His reflection winced, his heart pained that his body couldn’t purge his memories of last night as easily as the food he ate. Trembling hands splashed cool water on his warm face.

You didn’t lose it, Bob, you gave it up. He looked up again, pausing as he listened to his thoughts. Dot didn’t lose it either. You stole it from her.

“Shut up.”

Thief.

“Shut up.”

Never, never, never. You’ll never forget, and I’ll never let you.

Bob’s fist punched out.

‘BOB!’

His ears rang with the piercing screech of his name, distracting him enough to lessen his punch to an open handed blow, smacking the mirror over his face instead of shattering the glass. He stood there a moment, gathering his bearings, his eyes shut tight.

‘Bob?’

Beneath his fingers, his eyes opened and he looked at his left arm. “Glitch?”

‘By the User, are you deaf? I’ve been calling your name for nanos!’

Bob turned, leaning his back against the bathroom sink as he conversed with his keytool. “I… I didn’t hear you.”

‘Obviously.’ A pause. ‘Are you all right?’

The cadet closed his eyes, letting his head fall forward. “No.”

‘Bob-’

“I can’t do this. I can’t- I have to quit the academy.”

‘You have to talk to Linux.’

Bob tensed, fear racing through his heart. “User…”

‘And then you have to talk to Dot.’

“No,” Bob denied harshly. “No, I can’t hurt her anymore-.”

‘You have to tell her the truth, Bob.’

His head fell into his hands. “But she’s been through so much…”

‘And what happens if she remembers hours down the road, Bob? What will she go through then?’

He said nothing. 

‘She needs to know, Bob. And you need to accept it wasn’t your fault.’

“Horse shift!” Bob snapped. “I knew exactly what I was doing, I knew what I wanted, and I didn’t care about the consequences! I didn’t think about it once!”

‘Bob-.’

“Don’t, Glitch.” He turned back toward the mirror, putting his full weight on his hands as his voice dropped to an angry growl. “There’s nothing you can say that will make this better. All I’ve ever wanted was to be the hero, and now that I’ve gotten that… User, look what I’ve done with it.” His eyes looked up into themselves, cold and hard. “I’m no better than him.”

‘No!’ Glitch screeched. 

Bob flinched, his eyes dropping to his arm.

‘No, he’s to blame for this, Bob. Not you. Haven’t you figured it out?’

“What are you talking about?”

‘You were drugged, too.’

The cadet’s head lifted, his eyes shocked in the mirror. “What?” He felt a slight tingling as Glitch ran a scan on him, and when he looked down at his arm, he felt his heart drop. There, in rapidly diminishing numbers, ActiveX was streaming through his system. “That’s impossible.” He looked up again, searching his face for the answer. “When-?”

‘You inhaled it.’

It hit him like a blow. The fight, the tackle, the cloud of dust.

But not dust. Drugs. The bag must have broken during the fight.

‘You were drugged, Bob. Not as severely as Dot, but you were affected.’

The cadet stiffened, his eyes staring back at his reflection as the blood drained from his face. 

‘What happened wasn’t your fault, Bob, but you have to fix the lie. She deserves to know the truth and move forward with it, and you need it off your conscience before it drives you random.’

“But… it wasn’t a lie,” Bob whispered. “Last night wasn’t a lie… not for me.”

Glitch hesitated, not expecting that response. He beeped softly. ‘Bob… I’m sorry… but what if-?’

“No.” Bob turned from sink and walked out of the room. “No.” 

Glitch waited as Bob rifled through data files on his desk, throwing items into his small travel bag, and doing anything to keep himself busy. The keytool knew Bob was sorting things out in his head, but time was getting short before the conference. He trilled quietly, ‘Are you going to report this to Linux?’

“Not yet. I’m going to talk to Dot first.”

‘Then you better do it soon.’

Bob paused, looking at the chrono on the nightstand. “Damn.” 

‘You’re doing the right thing.’

“And that’s the problem,” Bob countered. “I shouldn’t be ‘doing’ anything. I should have done it to begin with.”

‘Courage is a learned behavior, Bob. And you’re a quick learner.’

Bob stopped moving around the room to look at his keytool. “If you say so,” he mumbled before shouldering his bag and heading out the door. 

~

Near the construction zone that was Dot’s Diner was a large open area where a simple stage and table were set up. Here, the Guardians and the Command Dot Com were going to hold a brief discussion with Mainframe’s citizens about the investigation on the Twin City explosion. Several rows had been set to the side for reporters. 

Bob’s gut clenched as he zipped down to the stage, his eyes searching the crowd. Among the sharply dressed reporters and the gear carrying binomes, Bob did not spot the tall, dark, and dangerous man. He heard his name and turned towards his mentor.

“Are you feeling better, Bob?” Linux asked as he descended the small steps from the stage. 

Bob frowned.

The slightly older Guardian gestured at Bob’s arm. “Glitch sent a message to Vaio, said you didn’t look so hot when you got up this morning,” he explained, tapping his own keytool. “Wasn’t sure if you were going to be up for the conference.”

Bob glanced at Glitch. “Yeah, I’ve been better.” 

Linux clasped a hand on his shoulder. “That’s why you shouldn’t party so hard, little brother!” Linux joked. “Staying out all hours of the night, what do you think you are? A teenager?” He led him up on stage where three other Guardians were chatting with the Command Dot Com. “Come on, after this, we’ll knock out the debrief and then you can crash out at my place tonight.”

Bob didn’t hear him, his eyes too busy looking around for Dot. He spotted her rainbow tuft of hair over by the Diner, talking with a construction worker. Next to her, her baby brother in a goofy little helicopter hat was bouncing around, restless. Bob felt a swelling in his chest when she took the boy’s hand and started walking towards the stage. 

The memory of her caring smile, focused solely on him, took his breath away. 

“Bob.”

He tore his gaze from Dot to see Linux’ concerned face. “Yeah.”

Linux shook his head. “Are you sure you’re all right? You look like your about to throw up all over the stage.”

“Yeah.” He cleared his throat, starting again in a stronger voice. “Yeah, let’s do this.”

“You don’t have to be here-.”

“I’m fine.” Bob gave a smile and stepped over to the other Guardians, greeting them and engaging in small chat to keep his mind off of Dot until he figured out just what he was going to say.

The conference started about twenty nanos later. Bob stood off to the side, watching the crowd as the questions began. He tried to keep from staring at Dot, who was sitting in the front row with her brother and the elderly sprite known as Phong. She had glanced at Bob once, smiling briefly and waving, before Enzo spilled his juice cup on a binome sitting next to them.

Bob forced himself to look away, to pretend she meant nothing to him, to believe that it was the drug and nothing else that made him long to go down and help her with the mess. His fists clenched and his eyes darted to the packed group of reporters, all frantically writing or filming the conference. Once again, one reporter was missing. 

He wasn’t quite sure how relieved he was about that.

A voice spoke up in the crowd with a question that snagged his attention. “Is it true a virus is loose in Mainframe?”

Bob looked at Linux who answered the question. “No viruses have been located here, and we have run thorough scans. I am totally confident your system has nothing to worry about.”

Bob frowned. 

“But isn’t that what brought you to Mainframe in the first place?” a reporter jumped in. “An escaped virus?”

“As was stated at the beginning,” Linux replied, “the Gateway experiment linked into the Supercomputer, inside of the Academy. That is what alerted us to the situation here. We traced the link back to find the city was already beyond help.”

Bob’s frowned deepened. What was Linux doing?

“Can viruses get into Mainframe?”

Realtek, a senior Guardian, spoke up. “It is possible, now that your system has been opened to the Net. But don’t worry,” he held up his hands to calm the murmurs of the crowd, “we have already provided training to your Command Dot Com on controlling access to and from Mainframe. It would be incredibly difficult for a virus to slip past your newest security measures.”

“Will a Guardian be staying here?” another citizen asked.

“One has already been assigned, though I can’t confirm any arrival dates.”

Bob’s confusion was burned away by that sharp flash of jealousy. He gave a quick shake of his head, knocking away the petty emotion. He had no right to want to stay here, and after everything that had happened…

Still…

The Command Dot Com requested final questions be asked before the conference was drawn to a close. Bob refocused his attention to the panel, part of him dreading the talk with Dot, and part of him itching to speak with Linux about his boldfaced lie. As if sensing the upcoming confrontation, the young Guardian looked at Bob, his face blank, but his eyes speaking volumes. ‘Wait,’ they said. 

Something was up.

The conference broke, and Bob shifted his eyes to where Dot was picking up Enzo and chatting with Phong. He stepped forward, hopping down from the stage as he tried to steady his racing heart. He opened his mouth, her name sticking on his dry tongue-

And he stopped dead as he caught sight of a reporter with a bandaged hand, talking up a young aide on the sidewalk.

She looked younger than Dot.

Everything else tuned out as he honed in on Don, the reporter’s good arm wrapping around the young sprite’s waist and pulling her into a brief hug, his lips brushing her cheek before she dodged away, giggling. Don watched her walk away, a smirk on his face as he moved off down a side street. 

The next thing he saw was Bob’s face as the cadet pinned him against a building. 

“You are one twisted sprite, you know that?” Bob hissed up at him.

Don looked startled for only a moment, anger flaring in his eyes at the assault, before he recognized the youthful face before him. “Oh, it’s you.” He glared down at the cadet, his voice cold. “You’d better watch it, boy. One shout from me and you’ll be all over the news on your way to a jail cell.”

“If I go, you’ll be right there with me.”

Don scoffed. “I’m not assaulting citizens.”

“No, you’re just date raping them.”

Don stilled, his head leaning back against the wall as he regarded Bob with the first traces of fear. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Really? Maybe a trip to the Principal’s Office will help jog your memory.”

“On what grounds?” 

Bob smiled coldly. “I’ll list them on the way; you can pick your favorite.”

Don’s eyes narrowed as he grinned back. “So no official warrant, then?” He tilted his head to the side. “Why? Dot can’t remember the details?” His sickening smile spread as he felt Bob’s fingers tighten into his coat lapels. He leaned closer and whispered, “But you do… don’t you?”

Bob stiffened.

“Don’t lie,” he taunted, “that sweet little girl was a wild one, huh?” The breath left him as Bob yanked him forward, spinning him and slamming him against the opposite building. Don’s head smacked into the wall, but he laughed despite the pain. “That’s what I thought.”

“You won’t be laughing for long,” the cadet threatened, his voice a soft growl. “I’m going to make sure you go away for a very long time, in a very lonely place.”

Don chuckled. “You think so?” His eyes moved around Bob’s face. “This must be your first time outside of school, so I’m going to help you out on this one. In the real world, evidence is what puts people away. So you can take me in… but it’s not my code they’ll find on Dot.” He stared hard at Bob. “Is it?”

Bob’s heart stopped.

“I took a hit last night, and I know you were breathing in as much as I was.” He relaxed against the wall. “And here you are, defending the honor of your damsel… but she hasn’t filed a report, or else you’d have a warrant… and you didn’t file a report… because all evidence would point to her being raped by you.”

The gravity of the statement stunned Bob like a blow to the head. His fingers began to lose their grip around Don’s jacket while his heart pounded.

Don seized the opportunity. With his bigger build, he burst forward, shoving Bob back hard enough to daze the cadet. Bob barely recovered his breath before Don clamped his hand around Bob’s neck and lifted him off the ground, pinning him against the wall at eye level with the reporter.

“Now you listen carefully to me,” Don whispered menacingly over Bob’s choked breaths. “I could crush the life out of you right now, but I don’t need that kind of attention. I like where I’m at in life, and you’re not going to ruin that for me, you little runt.” He leaned his face closer. “So if you even think about trying to get me on rape charges, I’m going to spin this back on you so fast you won’t know which way is up. You will be the disgrace of your kind, a living stain tarnishing the “impeccable” reputation of the Guardian Collective.

“And as for your little girlfriend, I’ll stir up such a media storm that she will never want to show her face in public again. I will make her the embarrassment of this worthless little system, and every other measly backwater system on the net. Her brother will grow up in shame and her father will forever be mocked as a failure, in science and in fatherhood.”

The vice like grip released from his neck, and Bob collapsed, wheezing for life giving air. From above, he heard, “It’s your choice, boy. Pretend to be a man, if you want. See where it gets you.” Through blurred eyes, Bob watched the dark polished shoes walk a few steps before stopping. There was a pause before Bob felt something land on his lap. “Here. Pathetic children like you need it more than me.” The sharp clip of his heels faded as he walked off down the street.

Bob coughed, rubbing his throat as it burned with the imprint of Don’s incredibly strong fingers. He sat up against the wall, his head back as he tried to calm his nerves. Something landed on the ground next to him, and he looked down at the plastic bag, sealed around soft white powder.

He threw it across the alley, a strangled cry filling the air and startling a stray null. The bag caught on a jagged piece of metal in a garbage can, the powder pouring down into a puddle of standing water in the street. Bob watched dully as the last of the drug dissolved away.

‘Bob?’

The cadet’s head dropped, a heavy sigh leaving him.

‘Bob.’

“He’s right.”

‘What?’

“Even if I tell Dot the truth… if any word gets out about her association with Don… he’ll come after her.”

‘All the more reason to report this. Doing so will keep her safe.’

Bob shook his head. “But they won’t go after Don to keep her safe… they’ll come after me.” 

‘No, they won’t. I was there, remember? I’ll tell them what happened, how you protected her in the street, and-.’

“And ignored protocol by taking her home instead of to the Principal Office. And then how I broke every rule in the Guardian Code by becoming involved with the victim. And then how I lied to her from the start about what happened.” He looked ahead, staring across the alley at nothing. “They’ll bring me in for questioning, and then I’ll have the choice: tell them about Don and risk Dot getting hurt… or tell them I’m guilty of everything.”

‘But… you’re not guilty!’

“I will be… if it keeps her safe.”

‘I won’t accept that. I’ll fight it.’

Bob smiled sadly at his keytool. “I know you would, Glitch.” His eyes closed as his hand came up over his face. “But a wise sprite once told me to choose my battles.”

Glitch beeped softly. ‘And you’re choosing to walk away.’

A pause. “Wouldn’t you?”

Glitch remained silent.

Bob slowly climbed to his feet. He took a few steadying breaths before squaring his shoulders and walking back out among the citizens of Mainframe, heading in the direction of the stage.

‘If you don’t resolve this,’ Glitch whirred, slowing Bob’s pace, ‘you’ll never forgive yourself.’

“It doesn’t matter,” Bob replied quietly. “Dot will never see me again… and she’ll be better for it.” He looked out towards Kits Sector, where he’d taken her home the night before. “If I can stop her life from being ruined… I can live with that burden.”

‘You won’t have to carry it alone.’

Bob stopped. Slowly, he raised his arm and looked at his keytool. “Glitch… I can’t ask that of you.”

‘I’m not going to erase this… and I refuse to turn you in.’ He gave an electronic sigh. ‘I don’t agree with your choice, but I understand your reason. And I will always be your backup, no matter what.’

The cadet realized he had no words. He could only nod his head in gratitude. He looked up to see Linux waving at him, and he started forward. As he approached the stage where the Guardians were preparing a portal to return to the Supercomputer, Bob heard laughter. He glanced to the left where a group of reporters were talking with Phong… and Dot stood nearby, smiling as she held Enzo in her arms. She said something and the reporters laughed again.

‘You really care about her, don’t you?’

Bob watched her for a moment longer before turning his back. He didn’t need to answer Glitch. They both knew the truth… and silence was the key to Dot’s safety. For Bob, that was all that mattered now. 

There was no hesitation in his stride as he nodded at Linux and walked through the portal, all thoughts of Mainframe, viruses, and personal vendettas forgotten in the wake of one green skinned, violet-eyed girl.


	6. The Best I Could

From the day they’d returned, Cardon knew something was wrong.

It was like a switch that was flipped off. The day before Kilobyte broke free from the deletion chamber, Bob was a storm of excitement and energy. After all, he’d caught the attention of the Prime Guardian with his theory on viral reformatting… an idea that wasn’t too popular with the older crowd, and one Cardon thought was absolutely random.

But since he’d come back to the Supercomputer… Bob was different. It wasn’t obvious, not to anyone else, anyway. He behaved exactly the same as before when in class or around friends. But Cardon had been his roommate for almost four hours, and knew the blue sprite like a brother. 

Something had changed in the soon to be Guardian… something big.

Bob refused to acknowledge him, though. He always had a joke or a witty comeback for each attempt Cardon made. His smile never failed; his laughter rang as loud and clear as ever. 

But his joy never reached his eyes.

No, that wasn’t true. Once, there was one moment that was so short lived he almost missed it. It was over a media broadcast, of all things. Some one-nano news highlight about a big up and coming reporter busted for harassment or some negative influence in his job. It was the same old run of the mill story they were always hearing about in the Supercomputer, and yet this one snagged Bob’s attention like it reached out and physically grabbed him. Cardon saw his reaction and tuned in enough to the report to catch a statement about multiple complaints from anonymous sources, each with time stamps that confirmed the complaints were withheld for an extended period of time.

There was a short laugh, cold and humorless. Cardon caught the chirp of a keytool, and a soft thank you from Bob. Cardon stared in confusion as Bob walked away, his body chilling at the smile he happened to witness. Bob’s eyes had been lit with a brilliance Cardon hadn’t seen in a while, like a flash of the old Bob, when his emotions were genuine and easily read. But the merriment was far from warm if his smile had anything to say about it. 

Cardon shivered at the memory of that feral smile, one made of joy at the capture and imprisonment of some nameless individual. He had never seen such a reaction from Bob… and he hoped to the User he never would again. But when he tried to ask Bob about it later, the cadet claimed not even recalling the broadcast, having been conversing with Glitch at the time over something.

Their once strong friendship had come to the point where Bob was lying right to his face. 

Cardon voiced his concerns to others, including Linux, but no one agreed with him. No one had any reason to. Bob was Bob, and no one had seen or heard a thing. Not like Cardon had. 

He sighed in frustration when he returned from training, once again finding himself alone in the speculation that Bob needed help. He slumped at his desk, running his fingers through his hair as he considered his own sanity. Maybe he was just reading too much into it… 

A chime broke through the silence, drawing Cardon’s attention to the communication’s unit. He pressed the accept button and greeted the caller while reaching for a drink from the room’s personal cooling unit. The screaming voice at the other end knocked him out of his chair.

“You have a lot of nerve! I’ve been working with you on this for minutes and you don’t even show up for the presentation! This is supposed to be your graduation project, Bob, your baby, your great idea for the future! And you left me out there to fend for myself against all those critics! You know I don’t even fully support this, but you said, ‘trust me’ and like a fool I did! You are so erased when I get over there!!”

“It’s nice to talk to you, too, Cache,” Cardon groaned from the floor. 

“Cardon?”

“Yeah.”

He heard a gasp on the other end. “Oh my User, I am so sorry!” Cache rushed, her voice increasing several decibels as she realized her rant was unleashed on the wrong person. “I didn’t even think you’d pick up.”

“Yeah, you seemed a bit preoccupied.” He sat back on the chair and frowned at the undulating green line of the call. “Bob’s not here. I haven’t seen him all second… and I completely forgot you two had that Reformatting presentation.”

“He hasn’t contacted me at all and I can’t find him anywhere,” Cache replied, her voice sounding close to tears. “Turbo was there, Cardon, and I couldn’t defend those random ideas by myself! I was completely humiliated up there! How could he do this to me? I thought this was supposed to be so damn important to him!”

“It was,” Cardon responded quietly. “Before Kilobyte.”

“What do you mean?” There was a pause. “Oh, User, do you think… he’s having second thoughts about reformatting?” Cache’s voice became very soft, her anger quickly being replaced with worry.

Cardon said nothing. The silence stretched as both understood it was more than the loss of his dream that struck a chord of discomfort.

“What should we do?” she asked.

There was really only one thing to do. “Where’s Turbo now?”

/

“You wanted to see me, sir?” Bob kept his face neutral as the Prime Guardian looked up from his desk. The broad yellow skinned man nodded and waved him in. Bob quietly shut the door behind him, taking long strides to stand before the large wooden desk that was surrounded by VidWindows and covered in data files. 

Turbo leaned back in his chair, staring quietly up at the cadet who stood still before him. He gave a soft smile while he placed his chin in his hand, a slightly inquisitive look in his eyes. “How are you, Bob?”

“Good, Sir. How are you?”

“Fine, thank you.” He continued to stare at Bob until the cadet began to fidget. “How are your classes?”

“Um, good, Sir. No complaints.”

“Are you excited to be finishing soon?”

Bob nodded. “Yes, Sir. I hope I score well enough to be given a system this hour.”

“Really? Well, that’s an attainable goal, especially for one as smart and successful as your self.” He looked over at a VidWindow as he continued. “Of course, your final presentations would probably score much better if you were there to give them.”

Bob frowned before his eyes widened in shock and he couldn’t stop the gasp in time. He started stuttering over his words, apologies and promises to do better fumbling from his frantically working jaw. 

Turbo ignored his rambling and touched something on the VidWindow he was viewing. After a moment, he turned the screen so Bob could see it. “Are you going to be apologizing for this next?”

Bob’s face reflected a flash of disappointment before being covered by a set expression, his eyes dropping to the desk. “I’m sorry, Sir,” he offered quietly.

“Are you?” Turbo turned the screen back and reviewed the information. “In every test you’ve taken here, you’ve scored 94% or higher. And now, in the last few cycles, you’ve practically failed every exam and demonstration assigned to you.” He tilted his head, his voice dropping to a soft baritone. “Care to explain?”

Bob’s eyes remained downcast. “It’s just a fluke, Sir. It won’t happen again.”

“A fluke is a one time thing. This is becoming a behavior.”

Bob did not argue. He remained still, standing at attention, his eyes looking anywhere but at the Prime Guardian. 

“Why haven’t you talked with Linux about this?”

“It’s not important, Sir,” Bob answered. “I’m fine. Just bad luck.”

“I don’t think you believe that.” 

Bob lifted his eyes briefly before looking away again. “Sorry, Sir?”

“I don’t think you believe it was bad luck,” Turbo answered slowly.

Bob’s fist tightened by his sides as his heart began to thunder in his chest. “I don’t know what you mean, Sir.”

Turbo sighed and stood up. “It’s stuffy in here. Let’s go outside.” He began walking towards the private balcony off his office, a small platform overlooking the several systems linked below making up the expansive web of interconnecting paths that was the heart of the Supercomputer. Outside, he closed the door behind him, and leaned against the railing as he stared out across the expansive sky. 

He sighed again. “It’s one of the hardest things about being a Guardian, you know.” The Prime Guardian glanced at Bob who stared pointedly ahead over the Supercomputer. “You’d think trust would be easy,” he looked away, “but most never fully achieve it.”

“Have I lost your trust, Sir?” Bob asked carefully, his voice attempting to be non-committal and barely pulling it off. 

“No, Bob, I fear we’ve lost yours.” Turbo turned and faced the young cadet. “None of us can do this job alone, but when we’re scared, when we’ve failed, we pull away in embarrassment because we’re too damn proud to do otherwise.

“That’s why some never understand how to trust because it requires them to be vulnerable to others. That can be a very heavy price to pay. But believe me, son, it’s worth it.”

“Thank you, Sir. That’s very valuable advice. I hope I can apply it.” Bob’s response was automatic, almost mechanical. He turned to face the Prime Guardian, his face a mask of gratitude and polite interest. “If there’s nothing else, Sir, I should probably find Cache before she destroys all my work… and then comes after me.” He waited a moment for the Prime Guardian to say something, accepting his silence as approval. He moved to the doors when Turbo’s soft voice stopped him.

“Bob, I know.”

Bob paused, his hand hovering over the door handle as he steadied his breathing. “Know what, Sir?”

“I know what you’re hiding… what you’re running from.”

Bob felt his stomach tighten painfully as his breathing became erratic. He forced himself to calm down before he turned around, a confused look hiding the panic on his face.

“I’m sorry, Sir, but I don’t understand.”

“This isn’t a fluke, Bob. I know this is about her.” He nodded at Bob’s left arm. “Glitch told me everything that happened then, and Cardon has told me about everything going on since.”

Anger surged through him, too quick for him to control his bodily reaction to the news. Turbo said nothing, not surprised at all by Bob’s attempts at hiding his irritation at learning of the betrayal by his friends.

“So we have lost your trust,” Turbo mused. 

Bob didn’t bother trying to hide his reaction to Turbo’s claim. The disappointment in the older man’s voice drove right into Bob’s heart, the pain evident in his eyes before he dropped his head.

Turbo leaned his back against the railing and crossed his arms. “You were going to try and hide this. I know it hurts, Bob, but it’s going to hurt a lot more if you try and bear this weight alone.”

“It’s mine to bear,” Bob hissed, guilt and shame coloring his voice and making his tone defensive. Silence answered him back, and Bob’s shoulders slumped forward when he realized he could no longer deny what had happened, not when he openly owned up to it. Turbo would not let this go now… could not let it go, not something of this magnitude. Bob shouldn’t have been surprised the truth would come out, that his dirty secret would be exposed for the whole Net to see. He just couldn’t believe Glitch would sell him out…

Bob’s eyes glanced at the keytool and he felt the urge to pull him off and throw him. He turned away, placing his back to the Prime Guardian, and braced himself for what was to come. “What are you going to do?” Bob asked quietly.

“Ask you to trust me.” Turbo’s voice was soft and kind behind him. “Then ask you to believe me when I tell you it wasn’t your fault.”

“But I shouldn’t have let it happen,” Bob argued, his voice barely keeping even. “I should have stopped it. I was right there, damn it, I should have known!”

“You couldn’t have known, Bob, you’re just a cadet. You did the best you could.”

“The best I could? The best I could?” Bob spat, turning back to Turbo with pain filled eyes. “How can you say that to me? Look at what I did to her!”

“You didn’t kill Dixon, Bob, Kilobyte did.”

Bob froze.

Turbo shook his head, his eyes sympathetic. “User, son, is that what you’ve been thinking this whole time? Everyone knows it wasn’t your fault. Everyone knows that.” Turbo moved away from the railing to stand in front of the shorter sprite. He put his hands on Bob’s shoulders as he said, “Dixon knows that.”

Bob swallowed, desperately trying to ease away the lump that formed in his throat. 

“Blaming yourself is not going to bring her back. Hiding from others is not going to help you move on from this. Please, Bob, trust us to help you.”

Bob couldn’t hold the Prime Guardian’s gaze. His head dropped to hide the wave of emotions he knew would be flitting across his face. His heart cracked as he thought of Dot, his blood thundering at how close he’d come to revealing the secret that was still his to keep. His stomach churned as he thought of Glitch, and how his keytool had saved him again, had saved Bob from himself by redirecting Turbo’s attention to Dixon’s death as the reason for Bob’s struggles.

As he pictured the lovely young Guardian, he felt tears prickle at the irony of the situation. Here, everyone believed she was weighing on his mind, her death a constant reminder of his failure to help her. It broke his heart to know that he hadn’t thought of her once since leaving Mainframe.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice cracking. 

Turbo squeezed Bob’s shoulders. “Don’t be,” he soothed. “This is good, for all of us.”

Bob nodded to appease the Guardian, keeping his head down to hide the lie. He let himself be guided back inside. 

“Bob, you don’t have to talk to me about this, but I want you to talk to someone. There is no shame in getting support, and if you’re going to make it as a Guardian, you have to start trusting us early. This isn’t the first time you’ll be facing yourself and questioning the decisions you’ve made.”

Bob flinched, but it went unnoticed as Turbo returned to his desk to pick up a file. “Yes, Sir,” he replied.

“I also want you to know this isn’t the only reason I called you in here. We need to talk about Mainframe.”

Bob’s head lifted; his eyes wide for a moment. “Mainframe?”

“Linux briefed you about the viruses, didn’t he?”

Bob remembered the conference, the strange answers Linux had given about no viruses present when they’d found traces of at least two roaming the system, though they couldn’t seem to pin them down for whatever reason. Bob had been so caught up in his thoughts about Dot and Don that he’d forgot to ask Linux about that. “We didn’t get around to it, Sir.” 

“Bob,” Turbo started, his voice soft and serious, “I’ve been giving serious thought to your theories on viruses. If we could reformat them, we could turn vicious killers and infectors into productive citizens with valuable information on viral codes. Our Guardians are getting hurt or killed too often now, and there seems to be no end in sight to the influx of viral strains that are plaguing our systems.” He handed Bob a file format.

Bob gave it a quick scan.

“That is my proposed plan to the Council, to use a small, sealed system with no open gate to the Net aside from personal portals to contain and reformat viruses. By the viral fluctuations on the scanner, Mainframe has two low level viruses that could be our perfect candidates.” He paused. “I’d been hoping to win over the Council with your presentation this second… but I can convince them to give you another shot considering you’ve been a little distracted.”

Bob’s eyes flashed up to Turbo’s. “Sir… I don’t know what to say.”

“You can tell me your thoughts on this. It is your idea.”

“I think it’s a brilliant idea, Sir…” Bob looked back down at the file, his voice tapering off.

Turbo’s eyes narrowed. “But?”

“But it won’t do much good without a Guardian who has buy in.” He looked back up at the Prime Guardian. “And you and I both know where my theory stands with the others.”

“The assigned Guardian believes in this as much as I do,” Turbo answered. “All I need him to do is graduate.”

Bob’s mouth went dry. “What?”

“Of course, that means you’ll have to do better on your exams… and make an effort to participate in your presentations,” Turbo smirked.

“I can’t.”

Turbo’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Really. And why not?”

“I…” Bob found himself stuck. And why not, Bob? he asked himself. Isn’t this what you wanted?

He did want to serve in Mainframe, and hoped for it when he first arrived. But Dot…

…will be there, where you can guard and protect her.

But not love her. No, he could never let himself love her. He didn’t deserve her.

Why not let her decide that?

No. He wouldn’t let her have the chance. He wouldn’t ruin her again.

But you will love her. From afar.

From afar, but always in sight. He felt his chest tighten, the first tingling of pain he would endure if he accepted this project. But what was worse? Seeing her everyday or not seeing her at all?

Because either way, he would still love her. He knew this. He always knew this. 

Maybe he couldn’t date her. Maybe he couldn’t kiss her good night. Maybe he couldn’t be the comfort she would need when times were tough. But he could keep her safe from ever being in danger again. 

Yes, he could love her that way… and live with it.

“If this is about the Twin City,” Turbo’s voice cut in gently.

Bob shook his head, his eyes meeting Turbo’s with a renewed determination. “I know, I know, that wasn’t my fault either, right?” He sighed, playing along. “One day, I know I’ll believe it.” He held up his hand before Turbo could say anything. “It doesn’t matter, though. It’s not going to change the fact that I will accept this assignment.”

“Are you sure? If it’s going to be difficult with what happened…”

Oh, if you only knew. “It’ll be worth it, in the end,” Bob answered. “For all of us.”

Turbo smiled and held out his hand to Bob. “Very well,” he said with a shake. “I expect this will go through around the time you’re set to graduate, so you’d best get back to your studies. If you don’t pass, I’ll find someone to take your place.”

“Understood, Sir. And… thank you.”

“Don’t thank me,” Turbo shook his head, “your friends are the ones who helped you most. You should thank them.”

Bob placed his hand over his keytool. “I don’t think I can thank them enough.”

“Then try,” Turbo answered wryly.

“I can do that.” He turned after being dismissed and headed back towards his room. The hallway was quiet save for his footsteps and the soft trill of his companion.

‘Are you all right with this?’

“How long have you known?”

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

“Liar.”

‘Since before the conference.’

Bob stopped and looked at his arm. “What?”

‘All of the Guardians there knew about the viral traces in Mainframe, Bob. Turbo and Linux were working together on this idea long before you all left.’ He sighed. ‘It’s what Linux was going to talk to you about…’

“But I got my ASCII beat instead.”

‘That didn’t seem like a good time to bring it up.’

“That was why you wanted me to talk to Dot.”

‘Part of it, yes.’

Bob started walking again, his steps slower than before. “And the other part?”

Glitch said nothing, and Bob didn’t press. He walked along, lost in his own thoughts. He felt the slightest amount of bitterness begin to grow in his heart. He’d wanted so bad to be assigned to a system like Mainframe, and to find out he’d already had it in the bag… 

And then he’d gone and frakked it all up.

Literally.

Bob grimaced. As if his own guilt wasn’t bad enough, now he was willingly throwing himself back into the fire, to sizzle and burn with that terrible secret and forbidding himself the relief that was the other half of his heart. Wasn’t he just a glutton for self-punishment?

And a naïve soul harboring that innocent action known as hope. 

It was a far shot, an astronomically far shot, a shot in the absolutely darkness that likened itself to erasure or deletion, but it was still there. The tiniest flame at the very back corner of his heart, flickering in a silent prayer that there was still a chance…

Turbo had told him to trust. He had also told him to try. Bob was terrified to do either. But he knew he would have to do both. As he entered his room and laid down on his bed, he stared up into nothingness and let himself get lost in the memory of Mainframe. 

It would not be easy. He would suffer, and he would suffer alone, in silence. But if there was a chance… it would be worth it.

Then try.

He would do that. The best he could.

The End


End file.
